Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-01-25
SILAGE IN WINTER
Particularly valuabIe During Sea-
son When Animals Are Idle.
MOLDY SILAGE IS DANGEROUS
Feed for Horses and Mules Should BE
Made From Thoroughly Mature
corn--Frozen SIlaae Also
Should BE Avoided.

q tepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture)
Good silage properly fed is d splen-
dii 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.
La 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
" 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 polsons 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.
It Is also unsafe 10 feed horses
frozen silage on account of the danger
Of collie. This Is practically impos-
sible to avoid in very cold weather,
especially in soiid-w i. 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 in the center
the mass will usually thaw out in time
for the next feed.
The value Of silage for horses is
greatest as means 10 carry them
through the winter season cheaply or
tcs supplement- pasture during drought.
AS the danger of mold is greater ia
summer than In winter, silage should
not be ffd to horses in that season un-
less large number OF animals are
getting IL, and the daily consumption
~ so large as to preclude the forma-
tion of mold on the surface.
To cheaper the ration of brood
mares in winter no iced has more
value than good corn Stage. If the
grain goes into the silo willl the stover
no additional grain Is needed for brood
mares, hay being the only supp,er4en-
tary feed necessary. If there is Tttle
grain on the corn the siIage shoHid be
supplemented with one pound Of old
process linseed-oii meal or cottonseed
meal daily per 1000 pounds live weight,
sprinkled over the sllage.
Starting on silage.
Horses to be wintered on a silage
ind hay ration should be started on
about five pounds Of silage daily per
1000 pounds live weight, the grain and
hay ration being gradually decreased |
as the silage is increased untiigfse ra- |
ton is 20 pounds sillge and i,joounds
of hay daily per 1000 ponnsis live
weight. Ii will require about d month |
to reach the fuli feed of sllage but the |
period may he decreased somewhat,
depending on the judgment and skill
of the feeder.
Mares fed In this manner will be in I
splendid condition for foaling, and, SO /
far as the writer's experience goes, the
foals will be fully as vigorous, with |
just as much size and bone, as If the
mares We're fed the conventional grain |
and hay ration.
Work horses when idle can be win
tered satisfactorily in this manner, but
much silage is not recommended for
horses at heavy work for the same rea-
son that driving horse cannot do his
best while on watery grass pasture.