The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-06-11
Livestock and Dairy
Milk Production

able to make it into hay or the silaye
made from clover as from ether legumss
hxs an Objectionable odor, necessitat-
ing particular care in feeding to avoid
tainting the milk. It does not pack
30 well as corn, so great care should
be exercised in the tramping Of the sil-
age at the time of filling, and tho
depth of the silo should also receive
particular attention. Clover should be
chopped before siloing as q matter Of
convenience in feeding and also to Sc.
cure more thorough packing, although
it can be placed in the silo without
chopping Clover should be harvested
when in full bloom and some Of tho
first heads are dead
COwpeas, alfalfa, and soy beans can
be successfully made into silage by ex.
ercising the same precautions as with
clover. They should be cut at the same
time as for hay making. However, it
is ordinarily preferable, as with clover,
to make them into hay rather than sill
age. The lamentations which take
place in silags made of legumes cause
a greater loss of nutritive material than
with corn silage. Corn husks and pea
vines from canning factories, beet pulp
and other by-products arc also used in
certain localities for filling the slo.
Corn for the silo can be cut either by
hand or machine. Hand cutting is prac-
ticed on FIRMS where the amount Of
corn to be harvested is SO small as to
make the expense of purchasing corn
harvester too great to justify its use.
Hand cutting is slow End laborious and
there are probably few localities now
where the purchase of a harvester
would not be profitable investment.
There are on the market several
makes of silage cutters that will give
satisfaction. The capacity of the ma.
chine to be purchased is an important
consideration which should OF be over.
looked. Many persons make the mis-
take of getting cutter which is too
small, thus making the operation of fill.
ing the silo very slow and interfering
with the continuous employment of the
entire force of men. 1t is better to get
machine large enough so that every
one will be able to keep busy all the
time. The larger cutters are equipped
with self feeders, a labor saving device
which the smaller sizes lack.
Water Aids Packing.
The usual length of cutting varies
from half to inch The latter is
considered little too long, since pieces
of this length will neither pack SO
closely in the silo nor be so completely
consumed when fed as will the shorter
lengths. On the other hand, the longer
the pieces the more rapidly can the corr
be run through the cutter.
In case the corn has become too dry
or ripe before it is put into the silo,
water should be added to supply the de-
ficiency of moisture necessary to make
the silage pack properly. Unless it is
well packed the silage will fire fang"
or deteriorate through the growth of
mold. Enough water should be added
to restore the moisture content of the
corn to what it would be if cut at the
proper stage. The water may be added
by running directly into the silo by
means of hose or by running through
the blower. 1t is claime' that by run.
ming it into the blower the water is
more thoroughly mixed with the cut
corn.