Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-15
farlu aud firesiae.
The NEW CORN PRODUCT.

The feeding of corn stover to stock
is matter now occupying the atten-
ton of leading agriculturists, the OBJ
ject being to utilize it to the best pos
sible advantage. The Maryland ex'
pertinent station took up the work
from new standpoint-that of feed.
ing the stover cleaned of the pith. A
large part of the bulk of cornstalks,
and about one.ffth of their weight, is
composed of pith, the pith being now
a commercial product used in the
construction Of vessels to arrest the
egress of water. The pith is COM
posed largely of cellulose and is con-
sidered to be of very little value for
feeding. In the process of separating
the pith in the factories the stover is
dried, the blades and husks are re-
moved and the stalks ground. The
pith, being lighter than the rest of the
cornstalk, is separated from it by win
moving. The remainder is used for
feeding and has been designated the
''new corn product" 1t was this
material which was made the subject
of an investigation by the Maryland
station and the results given in
bulletin, and it is the same material
which has received so much attention
from the agricultural press, and which
has been held up as valuable food.
The preparation of pith creates a
market for corn stover, while the
dried and ground residuum is claimed
to be more valuable for stock after
the preparation than before, its effect
on prices of other foods usually pur-
chased for stock in the future being
probably to lower them.
The "new corn product" and also
corn fodder were dried artificially,
and showed that they contained con-
siderably less water than is ordinarily
present in corn fodder, the new corn
product containing 9.22 per cent. of
water, while shredded fodder con-
tanned over 20 per cent. 1t is also
much richer in protein, contained
more starch and less less crude fibre.
The digeslibility of the new corn
product was compared with the ground
corn fodder, shredded fodder, corn
blades and husks, the corn fodder being
ground so as to be in about the same
mechanical condition as the new corn
product, and then fed to steers. The
new corn product was found to be
considerably more digestible than the
other fodder foods, and, as compared
with the average timothy hay when
fed to cattle, the new corn product
was found TO be much more digeslible.
1t was demonstrated that it was a
valuable food, and should in no case
be considered waste product. The
results not only show this material to
be valuable; but in every respect to
be superior 10 the shredded corn
fodder or the entire plant in its natural
condition. The digestibility of the
new corn product was also compared
with that of timothy for horses, when
again it was found to be considerably
more digestible than timothy. These
results are important as showing, not
only that the new crop product is u
valuable food, but also less bulky than
the entire corn plant, which is mat.
ter not to be underrated in considering
its usefulness.
10 test its value as food for fatten-
ing animals, the new corn product was
used in an experiment with steers, a
comparison being made with corn
blades, feeding constant grain ration
with each. The steers on the new
corn product gained 42S pounds in
60 days, or 3.57 pounds per head
daily. The new corn product was
mixed with grain and was highly rel
ished by the cattle, which would lie
down and chew the cud as naturally
as when fed hay or in the pasture.
Used for horses, in comparison with
timothy, using also ground oats, both
rations maintained the animal in their
normal condition; but, owing TO its
greater digestibility, less of the new
corn product was eaten. Good results
were also obtained when it was fed to
work horses, and it can replace hay
for that class of stock. Pigs take to it
readily, eat it up clean and leave no
waste. 1t may be that the chief ad-
vantage of the new material is due to
its mechanical condition, making it
more convenient to handle and to mix
with other food and resulting in a
more economical use of it by animals.
In feeding whole corn fodder there is
large waste, and the uneaten parts
get into the manure, making it difficult
to handle, although the use of a corn
shredder has removed these objections
to a certain extent. Farmers should
give the new corn product their con-
sideration in the future, as it will
prove to be an economical food.-St.
Louis Globe Democrat.