The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-07-26
INA IT[nNIT
0|l THE ny
lUETTUR1 i
CONSERVE SUPPLY OF FEED
Greatest Economy in Feeding Grain
During War Should Be Prac-
ticed by Dairymen.
prepared by the United States Depart
IL ric.aI 4 \

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
National necessity during the war re-
quires 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 ra-
lions. 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 well, with the min
inlum Of grain, substitutes must be fur
nished for at least part of the grain.
With 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 heavy
| flow of milk at a minimum of cost.
Clover, alfalfa, cowpea, soy bean, velvet
bean or other legume hay, when fed
] with good silage, will maintain a me-
dunn production of milk at relatively
low cost. Under ordinary farm condi-
tons 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 tor
of legume hay for each cow on the
place. e'44s sazl
Fruits and green vegetables are
canned so as to supply succulent and
palatable 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
large extent, to the succulence of tn
grass. Silage provides succulent fee,
: during winter when pasturage is no
available. With silage in the ration
dairy cattle can be kept in the cond
/ ton of health common to animals o
e pasture. The digestive system of
i COW is well suited for the utilizatie
5 of large quantities of green grasst
. and other coarse, succulent materia
: Silage is palatable, and no other fee
will combine so well with dry hay an
! a little grain to produce maximum ec'
nomical results.
The preservation of the mature cor
! crop or the saving of one which fl
\ any reason must be harvested befoI
|, maturity by placing it in silos is d
4 servedly increasing in popularit,
About 40 per cent of the total food nj
terial in the corn plant is in the stall
! and leaves. When only the ears al
: harvested nearly one-half of the ere
:, is lost; on the other hand, when IL
: crop is put into the silo the losses a
! very small.
No feed crops can be so successful
. harvested under such widely varyiI
conditions as those that are put in
the silo. Only in case of drought
: frost is it necessary to rush the fill
= of the silo; rain or dew on the fora
= does not injure the silage.