Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-05-24
MILLET RIVALS o r
SUCCESS OF sToCKMAN NICHOLS
OF CAKES IN FEEDING MILLET
EOR FATTENTNG

FOR FATTENING.
Drover's journal: L. J. Nichols of
Cakes, N. D., was on Wednesdays mar
ket with some ore of his Inflicted
cattle. These cattle were rather ex-
ceptional in that their feeding was
somewhat unique. It is not very COM
mon that cattle are sold on this mar
ket that have been entirely fitted on
millet hay in connection with millet.
seed, but this was the case with MI.
Nichols cattle, however.
Several weeks ago we published
some interesting matter concerning a
former shipment that Mr.. Nichols sold
on this market. These recent cattle
were similarly fitted, save that the gen
eral conditions under which they were
handled was better, and as a result the
quality when landed here this week
was considerably improved. The
Drovers' journal has been considerably
interested in feeding cattle on millet,
partly. because the system is somewhat
unique, and largely because the system
is somewhat unique, and largely be-
cause there has been some call at this
office concerning such feeding and the
probable results. These cattle were
fed on Siberian millet, which differs
somewhat from the common millet,
though not ito any radical extent. Those
who have fed the common millet hay
have complained that it affected the
urine and produced a remarkable flow,
and this caused considerable extra
trouble in caring for stock. Mr..
Nichols informs the Drovers' Journal
that he finds no such difficulty with
the sort he feeds.
Siberian millet seems destined to be-
come a popular crop for feeding in the
northwest. It does we'll and produces
liberal yields. 1t should be sown late
in the season, about the time when
buckwheat is commonly sown is right.
Last year Mr.. Nichols had a field of
corn that was frosted and killed early
in June, SO that he subsequently har-
rowed up the field and sowed it to ST.
berian millet on June 20. The ground,
with the amount of tilling that it had
previously received, proved to be an
admirable seed bed, and the crop grew
and fourished finely. AS to the pro-
ductiveness of this crop, n would
scarcely need any better returns than
that secured by Mr.. Nichols, when he
harvested 1920 bushels of grain from,
forty acres, OF am average of forty
eight bushels per acre. In this case.
even with this good yield, Mr.. Nichols
said he believed he would have secured
an average yield of sixty bushels per
acre had his locality not been subjected
to a sever storm that wasted the crop
a great deal. Unfortunately the storm
came at just the time when it could do
the most damage.
The crop, is harvested as one would
harvest any grain crop. A self-binder
is put into. the field and the millet
shocked as though it were wheat or
oats. The stand is generally about
thirty inches high, so that there is lit
tie trouble. 1t is advisable to cut the
millet and bind into small bundles, SO
there will be am opportunity to dry out
readily. In this manner it is not par
ticularly different from the oat crop.
AS the straw will yield about a ton and
a half OF nor hay to the acre, it is
advisable to cut and handle with sufi-
cient care to cure it readily. Mr..
Nichols reports the hay Of good quail
ity and readily eaten by stock. The
th1ashing is done by an ordinary sep
arator. So far as we are able to
learn, the crop is hauled directly from
the shock to the mchine, though iii
could undoubtedly be stacked if neces-
sary demanded.
In feeding millet seed Mr.. Nichols
finds it desirable ITO grind it. Other
wise, on account OF the hard outside
covering, a considerable portion will
pass through the system and escape
digestion. The cattle must be worked
onto the grain gradually, but they can
be safely fed twenty-five pounds per
day after once becoming accustomed
to the ration. But care must always
be used to see that they are not over
fed, or the steer will likely be stalled
From the fact that Mr.. Nichols has
been able to practically secure a gain
OF three pounds per day is evidence
enough that Siberian millet will com
pare favorably with corn as a fatten.
ing ration for steers. In fact, in those
sections in the northern part OF NORTH
Dakota and localities similarly located
where corn is grown under considerable
risk and difficulty, there is little doub,
butwhat this grain is going to prove
q formidable rival to old King Corn.
ABSTRACT OF sTATBMENT FOR THE