The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-23

Only those feeds should be used in
wintering live stock which will keep
the animals in a thrifty, growing con
dition. In following this policy it is
possible for the stockman to cut down
his " feed bills and prevent from
going to waste many of his home
grown farm products which in the past
have been entirely or partially lost. In
utilizing as far as possible corn slower,
straw and such material, other prod
ucts formerly fed to live stock, but
which are suited and much needed for
human food, can be conserved.
1t is estimated that the total amount
of corn slower and straws burned,
plowed under allowed to rot in stacks
and wasted in other ways Is worth over
500. 600, 600. This is an appalling loss,
and il these feedstuffs were used In
the feeding Of cattle, sheep and horses
II would result in greatly increased
profits to individual farmers as well
as tend to increase the supply OF meat
and dairy products.
After three years study with cattle
in the corn belt the office of farm
management of the United States de
partment of agriculture has demon
strated tina the breeding herds main
tanned most largely on ~roughages. such
as oat or wheat straw and corn slower
with a very small quantity of concen-
trate feed, such as C~ottonSeed meal,
corn, etc., are the herds from which
the largest profits are returned.
OF the total amount of straw pro-
duced annually in the United States
$40 per cent, or GA, 7OS, 900 tons, is esti-
mated to have been used for feeding
purposes, while that used for bedding
is estimated at 1913 per cent, or IA
5000 tons, Accordingly, the total
used in live stock production would be
about 67.2 per cent, or 7S, 227, 900 tons.
The straw that was sold. plowed UNI
der and burned mounts to about 1928
per cent OF the total, or 3S,527, 900 tons.
Thus more than one-third of the total
production of straw is being used to
disadvantage, one-half of which is an
almost total loss. If straw Is not used
by live stock or plowed under it's value
as a soil-enriching material Is mainly
lost. Its chief value as a fertiIizing
material lies not in It's fertilizing ele-
ments, but In its tissues as a source
Of humus, Because of its value as a
food and, when used for bedding. as
an absorbent of liquid manure, it is
very poor economy to pillow straw un-
der when 1t can be used as a feedstuff
or bedding material.
PRACTICAL experience as well as ex-
perimental work has taught tina straw
and stover can be used very econom-
ically in the rations of almost all kinds
Of live stock, These r~oughages are and
should be used in the fattening rations
OF all farm animals except hogs and
should compose the larger part of all
wlntertng or keeping "rations for cattle,
sheep and horses. Breeding herds Of
beef cattle or dry dairy cows can be
successfully kept on raNons mpo
largely Of these materials. Flocks of
breeding ewes do well with such feeds
when some grain is added. Horses do
ing very light or no work need little
grain If given a plentiful allowance of
clean, bright straw or stover. Under
certain conditions, of course, grain
should b4 added to the ration, but it
should be conserved as largely as pos
sible for human summit