Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-06
OAK LEAF FORAGE,
California Student Finds the Nutritive
Value Quite Laege.

California Student Finds the Nutritive
Value Quite Laege.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
By a large number Of experiments and
analyses in the chemical laboratory Of the
University Of California at Berkeley. and
by long tour of observation through parts
Of northern California. W. w. Mackie. a
special student in the College OF Agricul-
ture at the university. has discovered the
important economic fact that. by a con-
sentative and weli-regulated system OF
browsing. the oak area, which comprises
half the state, can be made to pasture
sheep and goats throughout the year, and
all kinds OF stock during the summer
months, also during drought. 1t has been
known that sheep and cattle will feed on
oak leaves, but the wide Importance OF this
fact was not brought before the attention
Of the stock raisers until Mackie undertook
scientific study of the problem. He has
found by chemical analysis that the nutri
tive value of the leaves is very high. and
that, next to alfalfa, they constitute the
best forage In the state. His Investigations
have developed the interesting fact that
the value of each species of oak as
browse increases almost directly with the
altitude.
Beginning on the lower foothills, Mackie
took each species in the order Of its oc-
currence. They rise in almost distinct zones
ii
oak and curly leaf oak, canon live oak,
maui oak black oak and white mountain
oak. In addition to these the common pol
son oak was studied and found to be of
high nutritive value. On account Of the
dryness of the leaf the blue oak only offers
browse to sheep and goats, although the
acorn mast. which is plentiful and quite
certain, is excellent feed for hogs. cattle,
sheep, and often for horses. The scrub oak,
on account of its low habit Of growth, Is
browsing
OF the best varieties for sheep and goats.
Cattle. however, dislike 1t on account of its
harsh leaves The scrub of the canon live
oak is eagerly sought by all kinds Of live
stock, and its nutritive value is higher than
that Of hay. The flexible texture Of the
leaves of the black oak make 1t an excellent
forage tree. Its foliage is eaten with avid
lty by horses and cattle. The white noun
derful value in providing forage on the
high mountain areas for thousands Of cat
tie and sheep. The stock actually fatten
on this diet of oak leaves. The poison oak
leaves are eaten extensively by horses and
sheep but are not touched by cattle.
Mackie explains how the live oaks may
be used for the maintenance Of stock when
the snow and winter drive the herds down
from the high attitudes The deciduous
oaks far surpasS the others in forage value,
as their leaves are larger and softer. In
the chemical analysis the leaves were CAL
culated first to the water-free basis and
finally to an alfalfa-hay basis. In protein.
or muscle-forming content 1t was found
that two species Of the oak surpassed al
falfa- For young growing stock the oak
leaf is more beneficial than alfalfa, be-
cause 1t Is richer in ash. or bone-growing
properties. In fattening and heat-produc-
ing power. however, the chemical analysts
shows the alfalfa superior. The leaves
would be in every way superior to the finest
kind Of hay were 1t not for the fact that
they contain crude fibers, wakes and tan
min The resins also have disagreeable
odOr to cattle.