The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-06-01
M0NTANA'S MEAT
SUPPLY IS LOW
wv" 10 TIME TO BEGIN TO PLAN
FOR THE NEXT TWO OR
THREE YEARS.
oeed Alfalfa and Clover for Next
Year; Experiment Station Is Nv
perlmenting With Giant Russian
'"h'lowers as Silage Crop; May BE
a Success.
ny f'of. e. N. Arnett, Department of
animal Husbandry, Montana Expert
ment Station.

supply is lower than ever before and
our needs were never greater.
Inc decrease in meat, wool and
milk is going to be greater than we
reailze at present. The decrease due
to loss by starvation will be known
IN few weeks. The decrease from
the loss of condition by all classes of
ANIMALS will not be definitely known.
yet the loss from this source will ~
PROBABLY exceed the loss due to STAR
Va'ioh' Inc loss of newborn ami
lnais VIII De great, owing to the poor
condltlon OF the breeding stock.
NOW is the time to begin to plan
LOT the next two or three years. feed
supply. Concentrates are going to be
SO much in demand that we must plan
10 grow an abundance of roughages
to finish the stock to profitable
market condition as we'll as to safely
carry the breeding and growing ami
mails through the winter. 1t will take
more roughages than in the past, ow-
ing to the fact that less concentrates
VIII be used in fattening and finish
ing both cattle and sheep and in
feeding dairy CATTLE
About Winter Feed.
The alfalfa and clover crops cam
NOT be increased for this year but ad-
dltlonal acreages should be seeded
LOT future supply. Hays from these
crops Will produce more beef, milk
and mutton when limited grain ra-
tons are fed than will hays from any
other crops. In sections where corn
grows satisfactorily, the next winters
feed supply can be materially in
creased by growing more corn. Corn
fodder or ensilage may be safely and
profitably used with beef cattle, dairy
cattle and much more stock can be
carried where the corn crop is fed in
the form of slage than when utilized
otherwise. If growing corn, north
western varieties, such as Northwest
ern Dent or Minnesota 10, should be
used.
The experiment station is conduct
ing test with the Giant Russian sum
flowers as a silage crop. The experi-
ment is not complete as yet so defin-
lite statements cannot be given but
the work to date indicates that sum
flowers may be successfully used as
sllage for cattle. Sunflowers have
the advantage of a heavy tonnage per
acre, having yielded 20 tons per acre
on the experiment station farm with
out irrigation; when irrigated and
grown in small plots they have yield
ed as much as SO tons. Sunflowers
Will stand considerably more cool
weather than corn so can be grown i'm
sections where corn will not give
yields.
oats and peas and various grain
mixtures, such as wheat, barley and
oats' should be seeded for hay where
not absolutely certain of sufficient
supply from present meadows.
Root Crops Good.
Root crops, such as mangles, ruta-
oagas and sugar beets, may be grown
III some sections to increase the next
feed supply. They give ex
'ellent results when fed to dairy cat
lie, sheep and swine.
we cannot afford to permit the
supply OF meat, fats, and wool to de-
crease farther The success and fu-
,,ure OF our country and of our allies
lepend In a large measure upon the
amount of these products we can
send abroad for their use. The cues
Ion is not what crop will make the
PRODUCER the greatest net profit for
MS year, but is one of supplying the
people and armies with foods that
VIII maintain their strength and eff
lency to the maximum. The future
upply of meat milk and wool de-
lends upon the feed supply, Plan to
row more feed.