The Jasper news., 1902-07-24
HAE'l5U.I raE o0H| 10.

hAEhL-i'.I IIE l)E. $40.
Tie Uro7; Fa.u. ai .rs Gf.Igg &C..
Feeding Hus,osas
1teY problem 2. harvesting To-. corn
crop IN such mauner ~ 10 utilize the
full feeding value Of the fodder is one
that demands earnest consideration
chemical analysis at several cf he lead
in- experiment stations has shown that
nearly half the feeding Talue Of the crop
is in the fodder. This makes our neg
lected fodder crop the second most val.
liable crop produced in America; worth
more than our wheat oats, cotton, hay
or any other crop excepting the corn it.
self Until few years ago ii was com
monty supposed that there was very lit
tie value in the fodder Even in the
east, where corn was generally cut by
hand, the fodder was looked upon more
as a filler to be fed to cattle or sheep
out doors after they had been given
their regular feed Of hay and grain. In
the west, farmers did not dream OF the
neglected fortune that lay concealed uu-
der the sno covered stock fields.
This misconception regarding the val.
nc of fodder was due, in part, to the fact
that it really has but little feeding value
unless it is cut at the right time. II is
like timothy and clover in this respect
The best meadow woud he worth but
little ii allowed 10 stand for months un.
and rain. Grass must be cut at Just
e right time, ,ibcfore it gets too ripe, in
order to make good hay. The same rule
applies TO corn fodder. IL cut at the
right time, before it gets dead ripe, it
makes good feed, which analysis shows
is practically equal to timothy hay. II
it st'hds too long it dries up and gets as
woody and palatablo as plank; and
there Is also a mechanical loss due to the
di topping Of the dead blades.
Another reason for our failure to un.
derslund the value OF the fodder crop is
inIt about half its feeding value is in
the body Of the stalk, which cattle and
snrcp cannot eat when it is fed to them
whole. Tue statement has been made
uy cue Of Tho cXierim tut stat Gus tnat
h.lf the iccuiug tdIuc of the entire fod-
der Is in that part of tho stalk below tie
ear. We know from observation that a
considerable part of the stalk above the
ear is not eaten when fed whole, and G.
en when the fodder is run dry through
= iecd cutter mos of the butts arc left
in the munger. The introduction of
husking and shredding machines has
made it possible 10 prepare corn fodder
at minimum expense 80 that practi.
calIy the entire stalk is eaten, by sheep
rs well AS cattle, and even horses seem
to relish the shredded "corn hay" and
do we'll on it. Some of the statements
made by practical dairymen who have
been feeding shredded fodder for years
seem almost Incredible. They say that
as a practical milk producer it is far su.
perior to timothy hay, and many main
tain that it is better than clover, if fed
with well-cOnsidered ration Of grain or
ground feed, to supply the protein in
which fodder il deficient. Many Of the
.eading dairy ond stock men in North
err Illinois and Southern Wisconsin
have quit cutting hay, blowing up their
meadows now needed for pasture and
using shredded fodder as the ] for
age crJp, Il system that enables them TO
make largo increase in their out, ,ut Of
beef or butter.-Coleman's Rural
World.