The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-07
ADVANTAGE OF the sII.O.

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mankind" A silo makes it possible to
keep two cows where one was kept
before, and who would not gladly
double his income.
In putting up dry corn fodder the
losses in nutriment amount to from
20 to so per cent. according to the
manner in which it is handled, and the
losses in weight that it sustains be-
tween the time that it is we'll cured
in the shock and fed out in the late
winter are more than the average man
would suspect.
In experiments at the Wisconsin
Station eleven shocks cured under
cover in the barn lost on an average
over per cent of dry matter and
toward IA per cent of protein. In an
experiment at the Maine Station over
IA per cent of dry matter was lost in
the process of slow drying of large
sample of fodder corn under the most
favorable circumstances.
Since such losses will cover in fod
der cured under cover with all pos
sible care, it is evident that the aver
age losses of dry matter in field-cur-
ing fodder corn can easily amount to
as much as so to 60 per cent when
exposed to rain and tsorm. Abrasion
of dry leaves and thin stalks. and
other factors. tend to diminish its
nutritive value. aside from the losses
from lamentations. so that very
often only one-half of the food ma
terials originally present in the fodder
are left by the time it is fed out. The
remaining portion of the fodder has.
Furthermore, lower digestibility and
a lower feeding value than the fodder
corn when put up. for the reason that
the lamentations occurring during
the curing process destroy the most
valuable and easily digestible part.
On the other hand there are plenty
of cases on record showing that ten
per cent represents the maximum loss
of dry matter in modern. deep. we'll
built silos The losses found in silo-
ing corn at a number of experiment
stations during the last ten years
have come at or below this figure. 1t
is possible to reduce this loss still
further by avoiding any spoiled silage
On the surface, by beginning to feed
Immediately after the filling of the
rather rapidly. Experiments conduct
ed on small scale by Prof. King in
1894 gave losses of only 2 and 8 per
cent.
Succulence.
A very great advantage in silage in
it's succulence. We ali know the diff
ference between juicy. ripe apple
and the dried fruit. In the drying uf
fruit, as we'll as of green folders water
is the main component part taken
away. With it, however. go certain
fiavoring materials that do not weigh
much in the chemists balance, but are
of the greatest Importance in render
ing the wood materials palatable. 1t
is these same fiavoring substances
which are washed out of hay with
heavy rains. Such hay is of inferior
value, often no better than so much
straw, not because it does not contain
nearly as much food substances, like
protein. fat, starch. sugar. ETC., but
because of the substances that render
hay palatable having been largely re-
moved by the rain.
The influence of we'll preserved
silage on the digestion and general
health of animals is very beneficial,
according to the unanimous testimony
of good authorities. 1t is mild laxa-
tive. and acts in this way very similar
ly to green folders. The good ac-
counts reported of the prevention of
milk fever by the feeding of silage
are explained by the laxative influence
Of the feed.
The silo furnishes feed of uniform
quality. and always near at hand.
available at any time during the whole
year or winter No need of fighting
the elements nor wading through
snow nor mud to haul 1t from the
field. Once in the silo the hard work
is over, and the farmer can rest easy
as to the supply of succulent roughage
for his stock during the winter.
Economy Of Storage.
Less room is required for the stor.
age In silo of the product from an
acre OF land than in cured condition
in barn. A ton of hay stored in the
NOW will fill space of at least 400
cubic feet, ton of silage. space of
about SO cubic feet. Considering the
dry matter contained in both feeds,
we find that 5000 pounds of silage
contains about as much dry matter as
1928 pounds of hay, or 100 against 465
cubic feet. That is. 1t takes nearly
three times as much room to store
the same quantity of food materials
In as in silage. In case of field-cured
fodder corn, the comparison comes
out still more in favor of the silo,
on account of the greater difficulty in
preserving the thick corn stalks from
heating when placed under shelter.
According to Professor Alvord, an
acre of corn, field-cured, stored in the
most compact manner possible, will
occupy space ten times as great as
in the form of silage.
No Danger OF Rain.
While rainy weather is disadvan-
tage in filling silos as in most other
farm operations, it does not entirely
prohibit silo filling and when the silo
is once filled, the fodder is safe, and
the dairyman is Independent of the
weather throughout the season.
The Sil0 Provided For The Autumn
DrOuths.
BY filling the silO with clover or
other green summer crops early in the
season, valuable succulent feed will
be at hand at time when pastures in
most regions are apt to give out. Then
again, the silo may be filled with corn
when this is in the roasting ear stage.
and the land thus entirely cleared
earlier than when the corn is left to
mature and the corn fodder shocked
ON the land, making 1t possible to
finish the fall blowing or to use the
land for fall pasture.
CARING FOR THE YOUNG COLT.
Life is a very discouraging PROPOSE
ton to the young colt that comes In