Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-14
CONSERVE SUPPLY OF FEED
Greatest Economy In Feeding Grain
During War Should Be Prae-
ticed by Dairymen.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of ~Agriculture.)
National necessity during the war re-
uuires the greatest economy in the
feeding of grain to live stock. Human
beings must be fed first, yet milk pro-
duction must be maintained. That
does not mean that our dairy cows
should be starved or even that they
should be required to live on half IA
tons. This is the very time they should
be fed, and we'll fed, in order to main
tain sufficient supplies Of dairy prod
ucts for our own armies and the armies
of our allies, and still have enough for
our civilian population. In order to
feed the dairy herds we'll, with the min
imum Of grain, substitutes must be fur
nished for at least part of the grain.
With a good pasture during the entire
summer and with rich corn silage and
first-class legume hay for winter feed
ing, good dairy cows will yield a heavy
flow of milk at q minimum Of Ncost.
Glover, alfalfa, cowpea, soy bean, velvet
bean or other legume hay, when fed
with good silage, will maintain a me-
dunn production Of milk at a relatively
low cost. Under ordinary farm condi-
lions it is not to be expected that
legume hay will take the place Of the
entire grain ration, but if it Is substi-
tuted in part, large quantities of grain
will be released for human food.
The first step in bringing this condi-
ton about must be the planting of more
legumes, and the sooner it is done the
better it will be for the individual
dairyman, as well as for his state and
nation. Every dairy farm should pro-
duce, when possible, at least one ton
Of legume hay for each COW on the
place. $50
Fruits and green vegetables are
canned so as to supply succulent and
polatable foods for the family during
the winter. Succulence is just as es-
sential to COWS as to a human being.
The abundant milk flow obtained from
June pasturage probably is due, to a
large extent, to the succulence of the
grass. Silage provides succulent feed
during winter when pasturage is not
available. With silage in the ration,
dairy cattle can be kept in the condi-
ton of health common to animals on
pasture. The digestive system of a
COW is we'll suited for the utilization
Of large quantities Of green grasses
and other coarse, s%ucculent material.
Silage is palatable, and no other feed
will combine so well with dry hay and
q little grain to produce maximumAeco-
nomical results. 9,A
The preservation of the mature corn
crop or the saving of one which for
any reason must be harvested before
maturity by placing it in silos is de-
servedly increasing in popularity.
About 40 per cent of the total food ma
terial in the corn plant is in the stalks
and leaves. When only the ears are
harvested nearly one-half Of the crop
is lost; on the other hand, when the
crop is put into the silo the losses are
very small.
No feed crops can be so successfully
harvested under such widely varying
conditions as those that are put into
the silo. Only in case of drought or
frost is it necessary to rush the filling
of the silo; rain or dew on the forage
does not injure the silage.