Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-05
FOOD SUPPLY
FOR ANIMALS ON FARMS
Use OF Silo Is Strongly Advocated by
State Council Of
Defense.
ALLIES DEPEND ON AMERICA
United States Must Provision Most
OF World, and, to Do So, VIII
Have to Make Improvement in
Live Stock Conditions.

For tho conservation Of the food sup
ply for farm animals, experts strongly
advise the farmers, both the large and
the small. to use the silo, which not
only keeps forage in such a state as to
make it more palatable to horses and
cows. but helps as nothing else will
TO save forage for use which otherwise
would be wasted In the fields.
The State Council of Defense Is add
ing it's Endorsement to this advice. and
Is sending out a statement on the sub
Ject. which is based on a careful study
made by some OF the leading cattle
men in the West. The statement. In
part, is as follows:
AT this time the United States has
entered a war of colossal size. and
demands the extreme efforts of every
man. woman and child in our country.
Because Of the millions of men under
arms, destroying food materials. rather
IMAM creating. and adverse climatic
conditions in many parts of the world.
it rests upon the United States to be
the provisioner of the democratic
world.
AMERICA MUST SUPPLY
MEATS AND MILK TO ALLIES
Upon the United States especially
rests the responsibility of furnishing
abundant supply of meats and milk.
The livestock conditions in the coun-
tries that have been at war are very
unsatisfactory. Their stocks of cattle,
both beef and dairy, are depleted, and
the remaining numbers are hampered
in returning maximum yields of beef
and milk through a scarcity Of animal
food suitable for maximum production.
When viewing the livestock condi-
lions of this country. there is reason
for alarm and determined efforts to
correct and eliminate, as far as posi-
Bile, many adverse conditions that are
causing depleted numbers of live stock
of all kinds.
For some time the average stock
man has not met with much encourage
ment. The prices received for his meat
and milk products have been such that
he was not rewarded sufficiently for
his labor and expenses. The result has
been that many farmers have gone out
of the livestock business. many dairy
herds have been closed out. many beef
cows have been sent out to the killing
floors and the supply of wool and NUT
ton has been decreased through the
selling OF many fiocks of sheep.
SlLOS ON SMALL FARMS
WILL CONSERVE GRAIN
I'm many localities. the loss in cat
tie and sheep has wiped out entire
herds. The lambs and calves arriv-
ing this spring nave suffered enor-
nous mortality because OF the
ed condition OF the mothers. This will
ultimately mean hat the United States
will suffer from a shortened supply of
beef. mutton and wool from the West.
THE exceeding high prices for all
animal food tufs has caused a liqui-
dation in many herds of live stock.
1t has caused the premature market
ing of great numbers Of cattle, hogs
and sheep. 1t has causes an incon-
siderable number of dairies to be clos
ed. 1t has depleted our stock OF breed
ing animals very seriously.
Virginia produces hundreds Of
thousands OF tons Of potential feed
suitable for feeding cattle. sheep,
horses and mules. and to a limited
extent hogs. Upon the conditions now
common TO this State. very little OF
this feed is used in the most economl-
cal manner. The major portion of this
feed is left upon the surface OF the
field in which it is produced or burned
the next spring. This feed, which.
rightly used, will increase the total
animal supply of food enormously. is
the stalks and blades Of corn.
The farmer who has eighty to 100
acres of land, three or four COWS, a
few calves. and. perhaps. a small band
of breeding ewes, will find hat his
total supply OF feed is increased by 81
small silo adapted to his numbe of live
stock. BY using silaGe as a large part
OF the rations fed to his horses. cows.
calves and sheep. less grain will be
needed. This grain can be used for
increased pork production upon the
farm or used for human consumption.
1t is believed that If the major por-
ton Of the silos erected in 1917 would
be placed upon the smaller farms, a
surprising amount OF valuable grain
would be conserved for use In pork
production or for human consumption.
a silo on a farm increases the capacity
of that farm to carry live stock"