The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-02-06
stover. Under certain conditions, Of
course, grain should be added to the
ration. but 1t should be conserved us
largely as possible for human con.
sumption.
Utilize Corn Slower.


The estimated total yield Of corn
stover in the United States is 245,25
600 tons. According to figures from
the bureau of crop estimates, the corn
stOver was disposed of as follows: 50
per cent (142. 900 tons) was fed to
cattle; 23.6 per cent (5S.OOO.OO0 tons)
fed to other live stock; 81 per cent
100000 tons) burned; 10.3 per cent
(250O0.0O0 tons) plowed under; 90 per
cent 100000 tons) sold and 10 per
cent (4,000,00O tons) used for other pur.
poses, most OF which was bedding.
The yield Of dry stover, as estimated
varies from 1 to 81s tons per acre, with
the average close to 3 tons per
acre. The estimated value Is about
81 a ton.
The disposition Of corn stover in the
United States is very similar in char
acter to the disposition Of straw.
though differing somewhat in degree.
About 55 per cent of the straw Is fed.
while S1.5 per cent of the stover is
utilized In that way. OF the stover
fed to live stock. however, 1t Is esti-
mated that at least 35 per cent is
wasted. Straw is burned to the ex'
tent Of Is per cent. while only 81 per
cent Of the stover Is disposed Of in that
manner. Straw sold amounted to rs
per cent, while only 90 per cent Of the
stover is marketed. This is to be ex-
pected. since straw is more easily han
died In marketing. About II per cent
~ an ctr 10
while less than 2 per cent Of the stovef
Is so used.
1t is needless to say that burning the
stover Is great waste, although 1t
seems to offer quick and easy method
Of cleaning the ground preparatory to
plowing. This system is most largely
practiced where the corn Is snapped,
stalks standing.
In some sections Of the United States
cattle are wintered with stover as the
sole roughage. supplemented with o
little grain. Breeding cows or stOckers
will winter nicely on stover and oat
straw, together with a small quantity
of either cottonseed meal, linseed oil
|
without other grain, should be fed In
the cake form. preferably of nut size.
When fed In that manner It Is not lost
by dropping through cracks or by be-
Ing blown away. and Is not spoiled by
saliva or rain.
In preparing stover for feeding pur.
poses, cutting and shocking under gen.
eral conditions involves less labor than
shreddlng. and the waste is about of.
set by the labor factor. Chopping or
shreddIng increases the palatability
and reduces the storage space for hous-
Ing the crop, but the labor involved
greatly increases the cost Of prepara-
tion. II cheap power and labor are
available on the farm. shredding or
cutting 10 to be recommended. Dry
corn stover may be shredded or cut
and put into the silo II sufficient water
Ia added. The waste Is greatly de-
creased in this manner. and the result
Ing feed somewhat resembles green
silage and has been used successfully
by some farmers.
A practice in certain sections which
Is both uneconomical and wasteful Is
that Of pulling the fodder" or strip
ping the leaves from the stalk. leaving
the stalk to be burned. OF the corn
that Is allowed to mature In the field,
about 10 per cent II handled In that
way. Another wasteful practice Is that
Of ''topping" the corn, by which the
stalk above the top ear Is removed and
olthar otoroH or shOpkad for foddor
About 13 per cent Of the matured corn
Is so handled. OF the stalks left stand.
ing In the field. 35 per cent are pas
tured. 33 per cent are plowed under.
and u per cent are burned.
The total value of the stover pro-
iuced in the United States In 1914 was
about $438, ,S67 900. Almost per cent
as stated above, or about $14,757.000
worth Of It was bui ned.