Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


 SILAGE PREFERABLE TO HAY
 Good corn silage can be substituted for hay, and at a big sav-
ing in cost.' Silage can be produced at not to exceed $5 a ton.
When cows are fed a rich, nitrogenous ration, such as is usually
given to dairy cows, it will be found more economical to supply
roughage in a cheaper form-silage, pasture, or soiling crops.
In Florida, cows can have the run of pasture at all seasons.
During the winter they may not get much in the way of feed,
but they get a good deal of dry matter. When feeds of all kinds
were cheaper hay could be fed as a part of the ration, but at
present prices much judgment must be used in combining feeds
so as to get the most for the money spent.
 The writer believes that when cows are fed a rich, concen-
trated feed such roughage as alfalfa and clover hay, or even
crab-grass hay, is not necessary; and that a cheaper form of
roughage will give as satisfactory results at much less cost.

 ADVANTAGES OF THE SILO
 The silo should be considered as important a part of the dairy
equipment as are the cows, and should be one of the permanent
improvements on every dairy farm. Some of the advantages in
using the silo are: (1) The nutrients of the entire crop are con-
served-there is no leaching or shattering of leaves; (2) silage
is of a succulent nature, furnishing pasture conditions during
the winter; (3) it may supplement pastures during a severe or
continued drouth; (4) feed is economically stored in so far as


FIG. 22.-Dairy barn and silos at the Florida Experiment Station