The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-06-08
OA|RY|NG As A
SAFE BUSINESS
VALUE OF THE DAIRY COW AND
BENEFITS OF SILAGE AS FEED
BY ONE WHO KNOWS.

The dairy COW, her value as a
source of revenue to the farmer and
the advantages of ensiage as feed
and the silo were the subjects on
which Roy c.. Potts of the State A.
& NJ. College at Saltwater talked to
an interested gathering of farmers
and dairymen at the assembly room
of the court house yesterday after
noon.
In his lecture he tried to impress
upon the farmers of this locality
the necessity of raising dairy cows
and cited the danger of one crop
community He stated that the
drouth and floods might affect the
crops of the farm, but the dairy COW
was on the Job every day in the year
and was the only sure source of rev
enue upon which the farmer could
RELY. He stated that many were
averse to dairying because 1t required
som uch of their time and attention,
and he stated that 1t was an abso-
lutte fact that the dairy COW required
his cooperation and help three
hundred and siXty-five days of the
year, but in return would give him,
If proper attention had been given to
selection and breeding a yearly in
come of from $40 to 800 per year,
which was far more than he could
ever hope to make with like invest
ment by crop farming under the
most favorable circumstances. He
urged the farmers OF this community
to get together, select standard
breed OF animal and all adhere to
that particular strain. He cited va
rious sections of the country that had
nationwide regulations for a partic-
ular breed of cattle that was the
source of great revenue to them, and
stated that there was no reason why
| this state should not be as well known
| in like manner.
He talked at some length on the
care of dairy animals and stated that
in order to obtain the best results
adequate shelter should be provided
and not compel cattle to remain out
side all winter.
| In speaking of silage making he
stated that the corn, kaffir, milo and
cane plants should be cut at the
stage when they were nearing matur-
ity, the stalks should be full Of juice,
but If through delay in gathering they
[ became dry, water should be used
when the ensilage is cut by the cut
ter and elevated in the silo. He
stated that it was practically impos-
sble to use too much water in hand
ling silage, as it settled and excluded
the air much better than dry ensil-
age would do and would be preserved
in better condition.
He told CT the proper method or
packing the silage in the silo and
stated that it was very important to
the farmer to see that his silo was
properly packed when the sllage was
cut.
In speaking of the cost OF silage he
produced figures to show that it could
he produced for from $1.00 to $500
PER ton, the cost varying with the
capacity of the equipment used. 1t
is estimated with sorghum crops
yielding from 12 to IS tons per acre,
the cost will not exceed $150 per ton.
and with corn yielding from to 10
tons the cost will approximate $3.50
per ton. These costs include the
entire costs Of rent of land, plowing,
| planting, cultivating and all other la
, bor required The value of silago
lies in the fact that it will produce
/, results in the feed lot much greater
, than can be obtained by any other
crop harvested in any other form.