The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1939-05-25
M0LASSES ENSILAGE IS LATEST
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN FARMING

of the cured-hay ration.
Supplements pasture and re-
places it when pasture is dried
Provides the equivalent of
fresh pasture as winter feed. .
Takes the place or cultivated
Silage crops.
Makes use of corn silos in the
summer.
Utilizes all of the feed value
of grasses and legumeS.
Legumes used Tor molasSes
silage are good sol-buiiding
crops.
Any SilO is Satisfactory
The only structure necessary
for storing such silage is the
silo. Any type is satisfactory
temporary, pit, WOOD, tile, con-
crete, Or metal. Silos hold 10 to
Is per cent more tonnage of
grass and legume silage than of
corn silage. A recent study on
the subject of silo pressures
showed that molasses silages
develop pressure of 10 to %
pounds per square foot per foot
of depth as compared with
about eleven pounds for corn
silage. Hence, every upright silo
used for molasseS silage must
be in good condition and pref
erably amply reinforced to
withstand the greater lateral
(outWard) pressures. Such re-
Inducements are usually extra
hoops or bands placed around
the lower sections of the silo,
where the pressure is the great
est. New silos intended for such
use should also have extra
hoops to meet the need.
Results Obtained
Because all of the feed values
OF grasses, legumes, and cereals
r retained in molaSseS s.lage,
thousands of da!rymen and
livestock feeders in all parts of
the country are obtaining re-
narkable results from IS use.
Dairymen who start IN the fall
TO supplement- pasture with this
feed find that milk production
of the herd tends to remain
constant; when the pasturing
season ends, body weight stays
up, and this leads many prom
i"ent da:r men to the conclu-
sion that n.olasses silage is good
feed during all seasons. A herd
whose production has made the
usual seaSonable drop IN the fall
can be made to recover part but
not all of the decline by adding
nolasses silage to the ration.
Therefore, it is advantageous
not to wait for the decline in
production but begin feeding
molasses silage as soon as the
pasture begins to decline. Mo-
lasses silage is ready for feed
ing Immediately after it has
been made.
Comparable results have been
noted with other livestock ana
poultry because ensiled grasses
and legumes, in addition to be-
ing palatable, contain much
protein. Such feed provides
more protein than either cured
hav or corn silage. Ten tons of
alfalfa silage provides 800 to
900 pounds of protein, while a
similar quantity OF corn silage
produces only 400 pounds Of
protein. Protein is the highest
priced feed farmers buy.
Grass and legume S1lage also
provides a richer color in milk
by retaining 80 per cent of the
carOtin in the crop. CarOtin is
the parent of vitamin "a"
Cured hay, on he other hand
loses so per cent of the carotin
while drying in the field. Corn
silage and grain ratio supply
very little carotin. IN addition,
the use of grasses, legumes and
cereals as molasses Stage takes
all of the gamble out of the
question of saving the whole
crop. Molasses silage doubles
silo efficiency because the silo
can be kept in continual use
throughout the year. such Ell
ficiency means a substantially
greater saving in livestock feed
ing costs.
A wide range of crop utili-
zation and crop rotation posi-
bilities resulting from the u e
of molasses silage, together with
lowered feed costs and greater
feeding efficiency, make the
outstanding valuse OF this feed
apparent. Soil conservation IS
another big advantage since
most molasses silage crops are
soil conserving crops. Moreover,
market nitro l, particularly
with reference to the cereals or
grain, may also become an i'm.
ccrtart economic result OF
widespread use of molasses ST.
age.