The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-10-31
SOFT CORN FOR
FATTENING CATTLE.
Chemical Analysis Shows Sof'
Corn to Contain as Much Pro-
tein and Fat as Mature Corn,
Also That II Contains
Twenty Per Cent.
More Water.

s"~sy - >~sss'
More Water.
The cattle feeding business has a.
ways presented many perplexing prob
lems. New factors are constantly max
ing their appearance. This year the
main problem lie, how can the ''soft corn
crop" be utilized to the best advantage.
The early September frost has caused
many a farmer TO change his former
methods. In former years, men engaged
in the cattle feeding business because
they liked IL, and considered It to be
the most profitable market for their
corn. They also purchased corn from
tueir neighbors and realized . profit on
the same by converting the raw ma
terial into Q finished product in the
form Of . fat steer. This year many
men who formerly belonged to that
large but unfortunate class this yesr)
known as "grain farmers" are obliged
to change their methods and become
cattle feeders.
In the cattle feeding business, like
any other line of work, the experienced
man is most likely TO reap the cash
profit while q large percentage Of mon
who are new in the business are likely
to have, as their reward, one years
credit in that costly but neysr falling
school Of experience.
Many cattle feeders are inclined to
believe that the early frost has almost
completely ruined the feeding value Of
late corn. The corn being soft and pre-
senting chafiy appearance is consider
ed TO be almost worthless. In order
that We might be able to furnish some
reliable data ON this all-important sub
ject, we have taken the matter up both
from scientific and practical stand
point. Samples Of corn Of the various
varieties, representing different stages
of development and collected ON many
different farms, have been analyzed and
the results compared with the analysis
of mature corn grown In 1900 and 1901.
A car load Of good feeding steers was
also purchased and divided into two
lots Of as nearly uniform weight quail.
ity, breeding, ETC., ~ IL was possible 70
divide them. One lot is being finished
on 1900 corn. The other lot ON 'sofi
corn" While It is too early 70 give
any definite results as yet TO the pub.
bile, as the experiment will be carried
on for ct least three months longer,
making In all five months test the
results up to this time would indicate
that soft corn" possessed nearly %
much feeding value - fully matured
corn.
The chemical analysis shows that the
"soft corn" contains about the same
amount of protein and fat ss mature
corn. The only perceptible differences
is that IL contains about twenty pei
cent. more water and In some instances
q trife higher percentage Of protein
On a water dry basis, the results ars
approximately the same. This would
indicate that when the corn IL husked
out and dried. that pound for pound. II
will contain as much nourishment u
fully matured corn.
The chaffy appearance Of the corn Il
unmistaksble evidence that the yieli
per acre is very much less than Il would
have been had the corn fully matured
Another point to be considered il tha
there will be 9 much larger percentag'
OF cob In comparison to the amount o
corn than In former years. Thus corr
and cob meal will not be a. valuable y
when fully matured corn has beer
ground. Our analysis differs from tha
reported by Prof. Snyder Of the Mime
contained much of the nourishmen
which was not to be found In the corr
itself. We were unable to 6nd any no
ticeable difference in the chemical com
position of the cob of the soft corn
and that of the cob of mature corn
From the chemical analysis made here
we would be inclined to regard II
bushels of the ''soft corn" In its pres
ent state TO be equal in feeding value Il
1Oc bushels of matured corn. As tn
''soft corn" dries out, this differenc
. will gradually grow less pound TO
pound, until the ''soft corn" is thor
oughly dried, when they will be q
equal value pound for pound.
The weather during the next 81
: weeks will be the greatest factor In d.
3 termining the value Of the corn crop {
1902 Clear, warm, dry weather wi
mean millions of dollars to the farmer
of this country, while damp weathe
= will mean millions of dollars Of damag
to the corn crop.
II the corn be properly dried, feeder
need not change their former method
Of feeding. While the corn is ''soft
" nothing will serve q better purpose
''firming up" the ration than the add
y tion of from five to ten pounds of groun
barley, ground oats, Buffalo gluten fee
or old mature corn. Feeders will hav
= TO feed about twenty per cent. more
q the ''soft corn" than they would Of M
T. ture corn to supply the Same amount
Inourishment As previously state