MAIZE FOR STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 12

MAIZE FOR STOCK.

MILCH COWS AND PIGS.

HINTS FOR PREPARATION.

I A few directions with reference to the use of cooked and flaked maize for ani* . ■ mals may not be out of place. For I horses, one -bushel should be mixed with '. one bushel of pats to, start with, and the 1 proportions gradually increased so that if 1 required the cooked and flaked maize >, may be substituted entirely for oats. - 1 I In the case of milch cows, the easily 'I digestible nature of this, feeding-stuff '; makes it eminently suitable to be included 'i in the ration instead of maize meal. It ' can be used dry with decorticated or undecorticated cotton cake, or, by adding one gallon of water to lOlbs , cooked or flaked maize, one can ; produce a moistened food of the right con- ', sistency, which may be mixed with hay, ', ; chaff, or roots in the food ration in the ' ; usual way. As a gruel for calves, where ■ of course digestibility is also an important , factor, a little addition of linseed cake . I meal -and ground linseed to the cooked , ' and flaked maize will provide an ideal . | food. For pigs, this feeding-stuff may be made , i into a gruel with either sour milk or but- , j ter-milk, and \ for young pigs this forms a ■ l valuable food. It should.be fed in a less | sloppy state as the pig progresses, and for pigs about three months old it is conve- . 1 niently fed in what may be termed a pud- ; ding state. For growing pigs runnin > j out on grass lilb. cooked flaked maize ■ j and Alb. sharps per day in) a sloppy state is advisable. Some pig breeders feed cooked and flaked maize dry to grown pigs just finishing off, provided that fresh water is available. As a general guide for pig-feeding, two gallons of cold water should be used to I one bushel of cooked and flaked maize, ■i and this, after soaking for two hours, is I; ready \ for use. A study of the various ' j text-books on the subject of stock feeding ' and the experience of practical feeders, go to show that maize is a valuable feedingstuff, for all classes of stock when used judiciously. The point for the .stockfeeder .to consider in these days, is the 'most economical form in which to use his . j maize, and it must candidly be admitted that in its cooked and flaked form this feeding-stuff is more valuable than in its raw state; ■ and that greater economy and profit will result from its use.