The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-08-02
ESTABLISHED 1886.
PAsTURING GREEN SORGHUM.
By JudieiOus Management the Danger to
Cattle From Eating the Growing
Cane May Be Prevented.

Cane May Be Prevented.
In all localities where stock raising
is carried on in conjunction with farm
inc. more or less loss is suffered each
year by cattle eating growing sorghum,
and Sherman county has not been free
from such misfortunes. In some sec
lions this danger has become so serious
that the growing Of sorghum has prac-
tfeaIlv been abandoned. The following
report Of an experiment conducted at
the State Agricultural college, at Man
haitian, Kan, IN pasturiHg cattle on
green sorghum throws some light on
the matter:
"By the last of June the tame grass
pasture at the Kansas experiment
station had become so short and dry
that the mich COWS could not get even
a maintenance ration from it. In an
adjoining field was b acres of sorghum.
About one-haIf of this six acres) was
fenced of to furnish pasture for the
d head of dairy COWS, including two
dry COWS, and two head of yearliDg
heifers. The COWS were turned onto
the sorghum July I. For the first
week the COWS were given their fill Of
alfalfa hay before turning on the sOr-
ghum. The first day the COWS were
left on the sorghum just 10 minutes,
the second day 30 minutes, the third
day 45 minutes, and so on, increasing
ID minutes per day until the time
reached one hour and a half. Since
then they have had free access to the
field. After the first week the COWS
were fed no hay except what they
would pick out of the racks in passing
to and from the barn where they were
MIXED and watered.
FThe college COWS were turned on the
green sorghum with a knowledge Of
the fact that under certain cond itions
and with certain animals growing sOr-
Rhum would cause death. At first two
men went with the COWS to watch for
the first symptoms of anything unusual
and our state veterinarian was near
by in case anything should happen.
For II days (up to the present wTiting)
We have not experienced a particle Of
trouble. This does not mean that we
may not nor does it mean that any one
following the above method may not
have trouble Nevertheless, judging
from our experience and the expert
ence of others who have pastured scr
ghum successfully We are of the Opin-
ion that a great deal of the trouble
that comes from sO-called sorghum
poisoning is the result of iDjudieiOus
management. Cows are too often turn
ed on sorghum with empty stomachs
and they gorge themselves, or when
first turned into a sorghum field they
are left there for day at time.
$50 far the experience Of the Kansas
experiment station in pasturing sOr-
ghum is very satisfactory. On July II
the dairy herd, with practically no al
falfa and after q terrific seige of hot
weather and fierce flies, produced a
total yield of only four pounds less
milk than on July 1, when the herd
was on tame grass pasture with all the
alfalfa hay the COWS would eat. This
small field of about six acres, although
severely pastUred during the last II
days of extremely hot weather, gives
every indication Of lasting a month
longer.
sThe other field Of seven acres has
been reserved until the sorghum heads
out, when the herd viii be turned into
it and a comparison made between
young growing sorghum and headed
sorghum as pasture for dairy COWS"