The Jasper weekly courier., 1918-02-22
SlLAGE is GOOD
WINTER ROUGHAGE
Particularly Valuable During Sea-
son When Animals Are Idle.
MOLDY SILAGE IS DANGEROUS
Feed for Horses and Mules Should Be
Made From Thoroughly Mature
Corn-Frozen SiIage Also
Should Be Avoided.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)

ment of Agriculture)
Good silage properly fed is q splen-
did feed for horses, particularly dur
Ing winter when the horses are idle.
Silage for horses and mules should be
made from thoroughly mature corn,
properly stored so that it will not mold.
In many cases horses have been killed
by eating moldy silage, and the care
less person who fed it at once blamed
the silage itself, rather than his own
carelessness and the mold which real
ly was the cause of the trouble. Horses
are peculiarly susceptible to the effects
of mOlds, and under certain conditions
certain mOldS grow on silage which are
deadly pOisOnS to both horses and
mules. Molds must have air to grow
and therefore silage which is packed
alright and fed out rapidly will not be-
come mOldy. If the feeder watches the
silage carefully as the weather warns
up he can soon detect the presence of
mold. When mold appears, feeding to
horses or mules should stop immedi-
ately.
Danger Of Collie.
1t is also unsafe to feed horses
frozen silage on account of the danger
Of collie. This is practically impos-
sible to avoid in very cold weather,
especially in solid-wall silos. By TAX
ing the days feed from the unfrozen
center of the silo and chopping away
the frozen silage from the edges and
piling the frozen pieces i'm the center
the mass will usually thaw out in time
for the next feed.
The value of silage for horses is
greatest as means to carry them
through the winter season cheaply or
to supplement pasture during drought
AS the danger of mold is greater in
summer than in winter, silage should
not be fed to horses in that season un-
less large number of animals are
getting it, and the daily consumption
is so large as to preclude the forma-
tiOn Of mold on the surface.
To cheaper the ration of brood |
mares in winter no feed has more |
value than good corn silage. If the |
grain goes into the silo with the stover
no additional grain is needed for brood |
mares, hay being the only supplement
tary feed necessary. If there is little
grain on the corn the silage should be |
with one pound of old
process linseed-oil meal or cottonseed
meal daily per 1000 pounds live weight,
sprinkled over the silage.
Starting on SIage.
Horses to be wintered on a silage
md hay ration should be started on
about five pounds of silage daily per
l,OOO pounds live weight, the grain and
lay ration being gradually decreased
Is the silage Is increased until the ra-
ion is 20 pounds silage and 10 pounds
If hay daily per 1000 pounds live
weight. Itwill require about a month
o reach the full feed Of silage, but the
'eriod may be decreased somewhat.
depending on the judgment and skill i
f the feeder. I
Mares fed in this manner will be in I
Splendid condition for foaling, and. so I
ar as the writer's experience goes, the |
oals will be fully as vigorous, with l
ust as much size and bone, as IL the
lareS were fed the conventional grain
nd hay ration.
WORK horses when idle can be win ;
cred satisfactorily in this manner. but
luch silage is not recommended for
orses at heavy work for the same rea-
IN that a driving horse cannot do his
est while on watery grass pasture. q