The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1919-07-04
coin sILAGE
FOR CATTLE
More Cattle Can Be Fed II Win.
tsr Feed Problem Is Solved
In This way
GOOD SIl0 PAYS FOR ITSELF
The SIIo Uses AT Of the Corn Plant,
While Common Methods of Harvest
ING the Crop Cause Loss Of q.
Third Of Its Food Value.

4 wv HS STop Sdusc LOSS OF
Third Of Its Food Value.
tBy I. A. Richardson, Division of Ex-
tension, University Of Tennessee,
- Knoxville.)
In maintaining a system Of live
stock farming, the question of winter
feed presents big problem TO many
Tennessee farmers. 1t is common in
every section Of the state to hear the
statement from farmers that, Il would
like to keep more cattle were able to
solve the winter feed problem on my
farm" IT Is true, the carrying ca-
pacity Of many farmers in summer on
pasture Is much greater than the mum.
Der of cattle which may be fed ihrd
the winter.
Hundreds Of farmers in the state
are solving this very problem to their
own satisfaction. The solution in this
state, as well AS elsewhere, comes by
the addition Of a sIlo to the farm
equipment. Silage, next to blue grass,
is the cheapest and most economical
ration the Tennessee farmer can pro-
vide. There are three factors which
control the cost of this cheap succu-
lent feed: the cost of raising the crop,
the tonnage per acre, and the cost Of
filling the silo. OF course, the first
two factors of raising the crop and
harvesting have To be considered, re-
CARELESS Of the disposition Of the crop.
However. the third factor, and this
Is the one which scares 80 many farm
ers when considering the building Of
sllo, IL not 80 great. after all. The
cost of storing the crop In the silo,
az compared to harvesting and storing
.he corn and fodder, varies little. Is
timates have been complied on the
acre basis, under normal labor condi-
lions, which show that the variation
In cost Is from Atty cents to one dol
lar. The assembling of the labor To do
the Job all al once Is the real problem,
and not 81 much the cost.
Another thing worth consideration
Ia the fact that the whole corn phnt
IL used. According TO the common
practice ON many farms from 20 to ~
per cent VI the feeding value OF the
I'm plant Is conserved. Not only the
feeding value Of the grain itself Is pre-
served, hut also the stalk and foliage.
Methods of handling the slower, when
IL ~ not put In the silo, causes great
loss. In feeding the fodder or slower,
the animal is unable to consume the
stalk, and In addition much Of the
foliage skaters and is thus wasted.
The tonnage OF forage per acre must
naturally be taken into consideration.
An acre Of corn converted into sllage
will feed two and onc-half times far.
-thcr than when fed In dry form. Most
any Tennessee land will produce from
8 to 10 tons Of silage Thus, not only
II there an Increased tonnage OF feed
per acre. hut also the carrying ca
pacity Of an acre Is one and one-half
times greater.
that corn, when II has reached ma
turlty for harvest. makes good feed
Tor livestock. The silo renders II pos
sible TO preserve the plant when II has
reached it's highest form Of nutrItiNe
value. Silage In Its relationship 10
other feeds and roughae~s bears the !
same position as canned vegetable 10 |
other food on the table. Thus, the |
plant remains in form which is not |
only nutritious. hut also succulent and |
thoroly palatable. Experience has
taught the farmer that animals do |
best on pasture, hence. the nearer |
pasture conditions can be initiated |
during the winter feeding periods the
better results farmers will secure.
Frequently the question arises that
cattle wlniered on silage do not make |
good gains on pasture. The Virginia |
and West Virginia experiment sta |
tons have proven that the annual gain |
Of cattle wintered on silage and hnish-
ed on pasture is greater and more
economical than that OF those winter |
ed on other roughagcs. and finished on
grass Like grass. silage Is laxative,
cooling, and succulent. Hence. the
change from silage To grass may 10
made with less disturbance TO the Ill
gestIve systems and consequently no
loss In weight.
Another important feature TO be
taken into consideration on the farm
Is the space used In storing roughage-
Silage can be stored In less space than
any other form Of roughage. A cubic
foot OF hay in the now weighs abou;
8 pounds csntains approximately ~
pounds OF dry matter. An average
cubic foot Of corn silage from q 30-foct
silo weighs about 500 pounds. will con-
tain lQ4 pounds OF dry matter. or
nearly two and one-half times as
much. Dry corn fodder takes M more
spsce per pound than hay. Thus. the
silo economies in building space for