FODDER FOR STOCK

Shannon News, 22 April 1927, Page 4

FODDER FOR STOCK

I- M.*lsl* ANTT SORGHUM. Ts? 6 VAUABLE CROPS. From a" purely feeding standpoint iiW and sorghum possess many srits in common; both provide a ccuient palatable green fodder of gli carbohydrate content, and this ctor alone makes them valuable for o in" feeding to stock to bring them to good condition, and maintain em ,in such condition. Tlie feedg eff either of these crops alone to >rking hors/\s or dairy stock does t give permanent satisfactory reltsv as both are proportionately low proteins. To obtain satisfactory suits'it is necessary that some conntrat'e, or other crop rich in proin, be fed in addition, to form a lanced ration. MalJte when fed alone to dairy >ck' will give comparatively better! feresultsf than sorghum, but the reverse on feeding working horses. li'Sorghiim- possesses the advantage that Walter-the leaves die the staKcs retain .. Iftheir'succulence and palatability much rfW'gfir "'than will those of maize under Ifmmi&r conations. Both, crops are livery suited for making into silage, Jsjbut sorghum actually makes a more Placid silafje than maize, and in many s'ook show a decided rreference |p>for it. As with all nilage made from Ssone'crdf) only, it is necessary to add it some' other foodstuff to constitute j*la, balanced ration—in the case of i : f-'these'crops proteins in some form or !"'*- other. §.; > The'poisonous property of sorghum *f which is immature, or which has been H'frosted or affected by droughty conIf 3 dftions, has been the cause of much U\ prejudice on the part of farmers the crop, but with the exerjt, cise of a little care all danger from Ipfu this source can be eliminated. Maize ,*£can;be cut at any stage of growth, $£ and'fed immediately without the preK cautions that have to be observed f/.' -when feeding sorghum. The poisoner bu s property of sorghum is due to the fe presence,.in the plant juice oE cyanogenetic glucosides,* which, when the $ plant is eaten by stock, are changed ( .f_ into prussic acid by the action of »f enzymes in the digestive juices. In [ft the early stages of the plant the pois--1?' onous substances arc found throughout the plant. As the plant ages %' they'disappear from the stalks, but ,?V.'renikm in the leaves until the grain .. forms, after which stage the plant I. can be fed with perfect safety. r Sorghum, when "immature, or frost- '•' ed, or by drought, should be '; cut' and allowed to wilt for twenty"l;' four hours before being fed. Mature ",} sorghum can be fed with perfect V safety as regards priistnc acid pois-JV-oning, but there is the danger as |T with any other fodder, of the y animals engorging themselves, and v / hoven resulting.