Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-28
lBy W. H. Pew Professor Of Animal

GBy w. H. Pew Professor Of Animal
Husbandry.l
Many letters are being received by
the department asking for information
, concerning the feeding Of the soft corn
| so generally found this year.
Some fields Of corn in many coun-
ties of the state were no further along
than the milk stage when the heavy
frosts came. The ears, in such fields.
are Of small account. In this case the
feeding value is scarcely more than Is
found in the stalk. In other fields the
corn was just beginning to dent when
the heavy frosts came. Such corn will
be chaffy and probably will contain at
this season 80 to so per cent moisture.
There is, no doubt. g g-ea. variation
in the condition of the corn from one
county to another.
The farmers who have utilized q
large portion of the corn crop by fill-
ing the silo are fortunate this year.
II the corn has been shocked the silo
can be refilled later in the winter. It
is now question Of utilizing the corn
crop and in most cases utilizing 1t as
early as possible.
During the past few weeks miscel-
laneous articles have been sent out
thru the newspapers stating that live
stock can not be fattened on the I'M
marketable crop. These seem to be
somewhat in error. Some data is
given below which will be Of assist
ance.
At this experiment station in 1909
when the corn crop was similar to
that Of this year, cattle Weighing near
ly 1.150 pounds We're purchased and
divided into two lots; one to be fed
soft corn, on pasture from Oct. 13 to
Nov. II: soft corn and hay from Nov.
II to Jan. II: and soft corn, gluten
feed and hay from Jan. IL to April 10;
the other lot to be fed the same with
exception that the corn was to be ma
ture corn of the second year before.
What Test Indicated.
In this test the soft corn contained
80 per cent moisture at the beginning
and 16 per cent moisture at the con-
clusion of the test. This test indicated:
First-That the dry matter in soft
corn containing 35 per cent moisture
at the beginning Of the test. was fully
equa! in feeding value to the dry mat
ter in mature corn when used fc- fat
tening cattle.
Second-That cattle fed on this corn
iudue DIS HedSy gains anu
isned equally as vel! as those fed on
mature corn.
Third-That soft corn purchased at
80 cents per bushel produced gains
on cattle 3.0S cents per pound cheaper
than mature corn purchased at so
cents per bushel
The amount Of moisture depends
chiefly on the maturity of the corn
when stricken by the frost. The soft
ness of the corn will determine the
class of cattle to which it ought to be
fed.
If the corn is mature. as is the
condition in some sections cattle can
be fed and finished as usual II the
corn was frosted when beginning to
dent heavy cattle can be fed out and
finished as indicated above, in the
spring. If the corn was not dented
at the time that frost came, light
cattle can be fed OH it and carried
thru the winter and they can be
next year on pasture.
To Feed Frozen Corn.
If the corn becomes frozen during
the winter. as undoubtedly will be
the case on many farms. it can be
run thru a cutter and fed out to good
The earlier it can be fed
the better. In order to get the most
feed value the corn ought to be cut