Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-24
How to Feed Corn.

The following is the essential part OF
an address by DR.. j. G. Hills OF the Yer
mont University read at the recent New
England Corn Exposition held at Wor-
cester, Mass.
Every part Of the corn plant save the
roots is available or digestible as fed 70
domestic animals. That cattle will eat
il sll-stalk, leaf, tassel, ear-every body
knows. That work horses, particularly
such as are being wiutered withou'
heavy labor, will thrive thereon is less
we'll understood. That sheep and even
swine may eat the entire plant TO ad
vantage is not generally appreciated
There is no, single domestic animal
that may not eat ensilage TO advantage.
In the production Of its skelstal and
muscular structure the animal needs
proteids, lime, phosphorus, rather than
starch; hence, for making young ami
nal corn is not we'll adapted, but body
fat is a derivatiye Of starch, and because
If its high starch content, corn Is par
ticulsrly we'll fitted for this purpose.
In a celebrated feeding trial conducted
some years ago at the Iowa Station,
wherein 250 three-year-old western steers
were led, 93 cents per bushel was real
ICED for corn consumed as such when IL
was fed alone Ninety-four days OF
feeding finished off the average steer
with an average profit per animal OF
sli.4e When corn brings IS cents
bushel and the average run Of beef sells
at present prices, what more profitable
use can be made of corn than this?
The fac, that New England leads 10
bushels of corn per acre does not mean
that she leads in bushels per uuit Of
area. She grows more corn where she
grows it than do her sister states, but
she does not grow enough OF it. Her
farmers fail TO appreciate three vital
matters in connection With corn growing,
viz:
l. The wisdom OF growing more corn
per COW.
2. The wisdom Of growing more di-
ges,ible dry matter per unit OF area and
per unit OF effort.
5. The wisdom of placing in the cows
maugers 95 per cent of the digestible
dry matter which is harvested rather
than the 80 to S5 per cent usually placed
there.
Under most conditions in New Eng
land corn furnishes cheaper digestible
carbohydrates than does any other
rOughage in those sections where dairy
ing obtains. A COW needs from l-2 to
2 or more pounds of digestible protein
daily 10 enable her to make milk IN
satisfactory and economical fashion.
aud she needs at the same time twelve
or more pounds of carbohy hydrates. To
grow more corn per COW one should mt
be soil thoroughly by adequate tillage
and BY judicious choice OF fertilizers.
We should use bigh.grsde, high-germin-
stiug seed, and should diligently prac-
sice intertllsge. We should also make
a wise varietal choice. There are prob
ably over a thousand varieties OF corn
listed in seed dealers catalogues. No
one of these is necessarily the best.
The best is the variety that will give the
greatest quantity of digestible dry mat
ter per acre, provided the crop can be
matured.
One season the Vermont Station tried
large variety highly recommended. II
made very big growth, but when the
other corn was mature this was in the
early milk. Both crops were ensiloed,
the large kind yielding about 60 per cent
more weight, but this was practically all
water. Cows fed on this ensilage after
eating that from mature corn, shrsnk
decidedly in milk. The ensilage did not
keep as well or have as good flavor.
10 short. We handled over SO extra
pounds of water in order TO get one eI-
ira pound of digestible dry matter.
To get the most of the total dry mat
ter into the cows msogers, ensllo the
whole crop. More food value IS obtain
ed in this way, and it is in form par
ticularly filter for milk-making. 1t is
labor lost 20 husk corn for cattle, and
nearly all other stock thrive on por-
tion Of ensilage in their ration.