The circle banner., 1920-05-07

optimism; but never as long as yol
or 1 live will they profitably grow
| feed and raise livestock year in an6
year out on small dry land farms il
this state, under existing conditions
and with our present knowledge oi
farming. There are wonderful farm
| ing sections in Montana, but they are
not in what we know as our arid OF
semi-arid short grass range country.
Nature grows short grass for a
distinct and definite purpose. 1t is
that it may cure naturally on the
stem and retain all of it's proteids,
carbohydrates and vitamines in order
that livestock may live and thrive on
it the entire year round. In this way
nature has provided grass balanced
ration for range live stock. Vita
mines are complex organic substances
occurring in small quantities in many
feeds, upon which health and life it
self depend. The lack of vitamines
in the human produces such diseases
as scuryy and beri-beri. Vitamines
are the substances which stimulate
the growth and development of an
animal. Green grass and short grass
contain an abundance of vitamines.
hett 10 OhO iOdoOA why thdt hlud vi
grass is such a wonderful food, and
why such exceptionally developed and
finished animals have been produced
on the open range.
Immatured hay contains more vita
mines than matured hay. Likewise
hay grown and cured in an arid or
semi-arid country contains and re-
tainS more water soluble vitamines
than that grown and cured in hu-
mid country. That is the principle
reason why Montana hay is superior
to eastern hay. Unfortunately, hay
which is cured after it is cut does
not permanently retain it's vitamines. |
The older it grows the more vita
mines it loses and the less nourish- |
ng and less of a balanced ration it |
becomes. Matured hay supplies the
and the bulk so ne
,essary for body heat, but if fed over
In extended period of time it must
,e fed in conjunction with some other
eed containing proteids and vita
mines and laxative qualities, such as
'otton seed cake, copra, corn or pos
IDLY immatured hay or ensilage. For
extended winter feeding, if it is i'm
recommend that you secure one cut
ing of immatured hay to feed with
our matured hay. 1t is not to be
Understood by this statement that i'm
natured hay cut and stacked in bal
need ration, or.is superior or even
quail to concentrates such as cotton
eed cake, copra or corn. 1t is not a
alanced ration. Neither is it the
quail of concentrates. Immatured I
ay recommended is not grass cut in
lie wet undeveloped green stage, but
ay cut just previous to it's becoming /
atured. May this not be one of the
ain factors why sections like the L
ig Hole country in Montana or
orth Park in Colorado produce such A
onderful hay fed cattle? Their n
'owing season is oftentimes too I
tort to thoroughly ripen and mature n
ay. However, feeding experiments +,
one will determine the definite "
llue of immatured hay when fed in q
injunction with matured hay, and G
e proper time at which it should
cut and stacked.
A strictly matured hay diet is not h
balanced ration, and If fed over a oI
period of time, will re- CO
1t in digestive disturbances which b,
II cause autointoxication and pos W
,ly terminate in the death of the d
imaI. The symptoms in such cases W
9 stiffness, oftentimes associated fc