Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-08-21
sorghum Pasture for Dairy Cows.
Experiment Station,
. 4 n0l


Experiment Station.
Manhattan, KanS., Aug. ID, 1901.
During the month of July the Kan
sas experiment station realized $500
per acre from pasturing sorghum, be-
sides having the field left1to produce
a second crop. On July /, twenty
seven mich cows were given all the
alfalfa hay they would eat and then
turned into sorghum field OF 81
acres for Is minutes. The sorghum
was from IS to "a inches high. The
next day they remained 30 minutes,
the third day IS minutes and so on
increasing Is minutes daily until they
reached an hour and thirty minutes
when they were left to run at will.
During this transition period the cows
were given all the alfalfa hay needed
to keep up the normal flow of milk.
For the first nine days this amounted
to nearly "a pounds daily per head.
After twelve days the COWS were al
lowed to pasture the sorghum at
night as we'll as during the day. For
the rest of the month these cows con-
sumed less than five pounds of alfalfa
hay daily per head.
If it had not been for the sorghum
pasture it would have required at
least "a pounds of alfalfa hay daily
per head to keep these COWS up to a
good flow of milk. This would have
amounted to 10 tons. AS it was the
COWS consumed only II tons, making
saving of 5! tons. At $40 per ton { a
low price for this Year, this would
amount to 500, which divided between
81 acres would amount to saving in
alfalfa consumed of $500 per acre.
On August the COWS were turned
into a fresh field of sorghum, from
three and a half to five feet high, but
with the same precautions as were
exercised July 1. This time it did not
take as long to get them on full feed,
and after the first week they had free
access to the sorghum day and night.
The two fields Of sorghum are con-
nected with each other and the COWS |
not only have access to both fields but
in getting to the second field are
obliged to pass through the first, |
where second growth sorghum is max
ing vigorous start after the recent
rains. Up to the present writing
august 49, the herd has not eXper-
fenced the least particle of trouble
from poisoning or even boating.
During the time the Kansas station
has been pasturing sorghum several
reports have been received of cattle
dying in ten or fifteen minutes from
the time they entered the sorghum
patch, but in every case where we
have been able to get the details, the
cattle have eaten the sorghum on
empty or nearly empty Stomacl1S.
Cattle should have their stomachS so
well filed that they feel completely
satisfied before touching the green
sorghum, and then allowed to eat
only few minutes at time until
they are accustomed to it. If sorgh-
UNI can be paStured successfully, as
has been done by the Kansas expert
ment station, it means that the dairy
men and stockmen can get an i'm
mense amount of pasture from small
area, which is available at a time
when their other pastures are getting
short and dry. Pasturing will also be
the most economical way of utilizing
sorghum. The man that turns his
cattle in sorghum field, however,
must realize that he may be taking
risks. He must weigh the evidence
for and against its use and then de-
eide for himself whether the benefits
will outweigh the risks. d. H. Otis.