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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 Agricultural Experiment Station 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 THE UTILIZATION OF SOFT CORN IN 
 BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 
 
 BY H. P. RUSK AND R. R. SXAPP 
 
 URBANA, ILLINOIS, JUNE, 1928 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 FEEDING TESTS WITH MATURE STEERS 4 
 
 Cattle Make Satisfactory Gains on Soft Corn 9 
 
 Ear-Corn Silage Proves Most Economical Form 13 
 
 Sound Corn Made Better Looking Beef 13 
 
 SOFT EAR-CORN SILAGE vs. SHELLED CORN FOR CALVES 14 
 
 Calves on Ear-Corn Silage Made Slightly Cheaper Gains 14 
 
 Dry Matter in Grain of Ear-Corn Silage Proved Equal to Dry Matter 
 
 in Shelled Corn 17 
 
 Shelled Corn Produced Higher Finish Carcass IS 
 
 EARLIER TESTS WITH EAR-CORN SILAGE 19 
 
 Good Results With Weanling Calves 19 
 
 Unsatisfactory Results in One Experiment 20 
 
 Good Results With Two- Year-Olds 21 
 
 MOISTURE CONTEXT OF SOFT CORN 22 
 
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOFT CORN 23 
 
 Chemical Composition Not Significantly Changed in Silo 25 
 
 SUMMARY 27 
 
THE UTILIZATION OF SOFT CORN IN 
 . BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 
 
 By H. P. RUSK, Chief in Cattle Husbandry, and R. R. SNAPP, 
 Associate Chief in Beef Cattle Husbandry 
 
 The extent and importance of the soft-corn problem vary from 
 year to year because of climatic conditions and differences in the 
 time that corn is planted. The problem becomes serious and of na- 
 tional importance in occasional seasons when late planting is fol- 
 lowed by a cool, wet summer terminated by an early frost. Since 
 1900 there have been six soft-corn years; namely, 1902, 1907, 1915, 
 1917, 1924, and 1927. The most serious losses occurred in 1917, when 
 the U. S. Department of Agriculture estimated 1 that only 57 percent of 
 the corn in the twelve principal corn-producing states was mature at 
 the time of the first killing frost, 
 
 The importance of the soft-corn problem has long been recog- 
 nized and numerous studies of its different phases have been made 
 at the University of Illinois. The early studies pointed to the need 
 for a comprehensive series of investigations that would correlate the 
 results of previous studies and make systematic inquiry into other 
 phases as rapidly as possible. The backward season of 1924, together 
 with heavy frosts during October, was responsible for a large amount 
 of soft corn in the vicinity of the Experiment Station and provided am- 
 ple material for starting such studies. Accordingly the different phases 
 of the problem were outlined and those having to do with the storing 
 and drying of corn were undertaken by the Departments of Agronomy 
 and Farm Mechanics working cooperatively, and those having to do 
 with the chemical composition of soft corn and its feeding value were 
 undertaken by the Department of Animal Husbandry. The work on 
 the first part of the problem is still under way and only tentative 
 recommendations concerning the relative value and practicability of 
 the various methods of storing and drying can be made. 2 
 
 The studies undertaken by the Animal Husbandry Department, 
 pertaining to the composition and feeding value of soft corn, while in 
 
 'National Stockman and Farmer, 41, 835. 1917. 
 
 'For brief statements of the results of these experiments, see the Thirty- 
 Eighth Annual Report of this Station for 1924-25, page 141 ; the Fortieth Annual 
 Report, page 217; and Circular 293, "Soft Corn, How to Store and Feed It," 
 issued in 1924. 
 
4 313 [June, 
 
 sions which are dis- 
 
 ssed thi; " 
 
 1. T _ rn redu- 
 
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 FEEDING TESTS WITH MATURE STEERS 
 
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 ?tai corn. 
 
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 ould be ready 
 
 man* 
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 rn-bred Hereford 
 
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8 BULLETIN No. 313 [June, 
 
 rate. 1 It is a matter of common observation that corn which has 
 reached maturity and started to dry out normally will drop from 35 
 or 40 percent moisture to 20 percent in the course of a few weeks of 
 normal fall weather. But in the case of both of the fields of standing 
 corn used in this experiment, as well as in the case of the shocked 
 corn, the moisture content remained abnormally high until the middle 
 of January, when observations were discontinued. 
 
 Contrary to expectations there was very little spoilage in any of 
 the forms of soft corn fed. Some heating and molding occurred in the 
 first few loads of husked corn brought in for Lot 3, and it was neces- 
 sary to follow the precaution of bringing in only two or three days' 
 supply at one time until cold weather arrived, and even then it was 
 found not to be safe to pile up more than a week's supply for the ten 
 cattle. This of course necessitated husking and hauling the corn in 
 from the field in some extremely bad weather, when sleet^ snow, and 
 ice in the fields and on the corn made the cost of gathering very high. 
 While the corn left on the stalk in the field kept perfectly, and ap- 
 parently was damaged by bad weather to no greater extent than sound 
 corn under similar conditions, the difficulty experienced in always 
 keeping a supply on hand renders this method of handling soft corn im- 
 practical after the arrival of winter weather unless there is other 
 corn to feed during periods when it is difficult to obtain the soft corn 
 from the field. 
 
 The fact that there was so little spoilage of ears in the shocked 
 corn was especially surprising. 2 It was feared that this corn might 
 start to rot before the experiment was well under way, but either the 
 small, well-constructed shocks preserved it much better than was an- 
 ticipated or the season was unusually favorable for this method of 
 storage. The investigators are inclined to believe that they were un- 
 usually fortunate in the weather conditions encountered and hesitate 
 to recommend shocking as a safe method of preserving immature corn 
 which has so high a moisture content as this corn had. 
 
 Other Feeds Used. The oats fed to the steers in Lot 6 were from 
 the 1924 crop and were slightly discolored but otherwise sound. Oats 
 were added to the ration of this lot because the climatic conditions 
 which retard the spring and early summer growth of corn often are 
 favorable to the production of heavy yields of oats. Continued wet 
 weather thru oats harvest results in discoloration and consequent re- 
 duction of market value of the crop, making information on its utiliza- 
 tion with soft corn very desirable. 
 
 Alfalfa hay and linseed meal were fed in approximately the same 
 amounts to all lots, since it was desired to reduce variables to differ- 
 
 'See Table 6 also. 
 
 "Veterinarians attributed the death of three horses on an adjoining farm 
 to the consumption of some soft corn that had molded in the shock. 
 
SOFT COKN IN BEEF CATTLE FKKDIM; 9 
 
 ences in the grain ration. Previous experience with ear-corn silage led 
 the investigators to suspect that some good legume roughage might 
 have a greater physiological value when fed in conjunction with soft 
 corn than its generally recognized feeding value would indicate. The 
 alfalfa was chopped by running it thru a silage cutter, and this 
 chopped hay and the linseed meal were mixed with the grain at the 
 time it was fed. The chopping of the hay was done partly in order 
 to facilitate weighing and sacking but principally to prevent waste 
 and assure an equal consumption of hay and linseed meal by all cattle 
 in each lot, 
 
 The steers in Lot 2 that were pastured were started in dry lot 
 and fed snapped corn from the pasture area for the first nine days 
 of the experiment, at the end of which time they were eating 28 pounds 
 of soft corn daily. This was regarded as practically a full feed. On 
 the tenth day of the experiment they were turned into the field and not 
 removed except for weighing until the corn was practically gone. The 
 acreages set aside for this lot and for Lot 1, which received shocked 
 corn, were not sufficient to complete the test and were therefore sup- 
 plemented with corn from the same field that furnished the corn for 
 Lot 3. 
 
 Cattle Make Satisfactory Gains on Soft Corn 
 
 All lots of cattle were started on feed October 25, 1924. The 
 initial feed was at the rate of 10 pounds of alfalfa hay and 1 pound of 
 linseed meal per head per day plus approximately one-fourth of a 
 full feed of one of the various forms of corn. 
 
 The steers in Lots 2, 3, and 4 were started on 7 pounds of broken 
 ear corn per head daily, while those in Lot 1 were fed an amount of 
 fodder that contained approximately 7 pounds of corn. Lot 5 was 
 given 30 pounds of ear-corn silage and Lot 6, 20 pounds of ear-corn 
 silage plus 6 pounds of oats. 
 
 By the end of the first week of the feeding period the steers fed 
 soft ear corn were consuming an average of 24 pounds per head daily, 
 while those fed old corn had been "stuck" on 20 pounds and their 
 ration therefore had been reduced in order to make them clean up 
 their feed. After the first few feeds the steers receiving ear-corn silage 
 refused to clean up until the hay was reduced from 10 pounds to 4 
 per head daily. There was no further difficulty in getting any of the 
 lots on full feed, and all steers except one in Lot 3 showed keen ap- 
 petites thruout the experiment. 
 
 Some difficulty was experienced with frozen corn and silage during 
 the coldest weather but not enough to affect the results seriously. A 
 summary of the results of this feeding trial is shown in Table 2. 
 
 All lots of cattle in the experiment made satisfactory gains. As 
 was to be expected, the old corn produced the most rapid gains. This, 
 
10 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
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 SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 
 
 11 
 
 however, appeared to be due to a larger consumption of dry in 
 rather than to a difference in the quality of the dry matter. Consid- 
 ered on the basis of the amount of dry matter consumed for 100 
 pounds of gain, the soft-corn lots, with the exception of Lot 2 which 
 was pastured, made the best showing, tho the differences in favor of 
 the soft-corn lots arc not large except in the case of Lot 5 fed 
 corn silage. 
 
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 daily by the pasture lot is based on the assumption that there was as 
 
 FIG. 3. LOT 1, FED SOFT CORN FROM THE SHOCK, AT END OF TRIAL 
 After 90 days on soft corn these cattle carried a good to choice finish 
 and dressed 60.46 percent in Chicago. 
 
 much dry matter per acre in the ears in this field as in the area made 
 into ear-corn silage. This amount of dry matter plus the weight of 
 the moisture in the ears while the field was pastured was taken as 
 the weight of the ear corn utilized by the cattle. 
 
 The high consumption of corn charged to the pastured lot un- 
 doubtedly represents considerable wastage. Theoretically the corn 
 wasted by the cattle should have been utilized by the hogs which 
 were kept in the field for this purpose. This was not the case, how- 
 ever, in spite of the fact that 20 thrifty pigs weighing approximately 
 125 pounds each occupied the field while the cattle were there and for 
 26 days thereafter. The failure of the hogs to make economical use 
 of this down corn is explained partly by the fact that snow and sleet 
 hindered its recovery and partly by the fact that the ground, after 
 being trampled by the cattle and then frozen, was much of the time 
 so rough that the hogs refused to forage for more than enough to 
 maintain themselves. In fact, the pork production in all lots was 
 probably considerably reduced by the alternate muddy and frozen 
 condition of the ground. 
 
12 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
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1928] SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 13 
 
 The gains made by the hogs in the lots fed ear-corn silage were 
 smaller than expected, but the relation between the pork production 
 in those lots and in the other lots was in line with expectations. With 
 the exception of Lot 1, where the larger pork production was un- 
 doubtedly due to the cattle throwing fodder out of the bunks, the gains 
 on the hogs were much lower in the five lots receiving soft corn 
 than in the one lot receiving mature corn. 
 
 Ear-Corn Silage Proves Most Economical Form 
 
 One of the most interesting and significant phases of this study 
 is the comparison it affords of the gains on cattle and hogs produced 
 from an acre of soft corn harvested in different ways (Table 3). 
 
 As measured by total gain per acre, pasturing soft corn in the field 
 was by far the least efficient method of feeding used in this experi- 
 ment. From the standpoint of labor saved in harvesting and feeding, 
 it was the most effective method. However^ when the extra labor 
 involved in getting this badly trampled field into shape for planting 
 the following spring is considered, the advantage in the labor saved 
 is not so apparent. The results of this single test appear to be un- 
 favorable to this method of using soft corn. 
 
 By far the largest gains produced per acre were made by the 
 steers receiving ear-corn silage. Altho this lot involved the largest 
 expenditure of labor in harvesting and entailed by far the greatest 
 investment in machinery and equipment, the sum total of evidence 
 from this test indicates that the use of ear-corn silage is the most 
 economical method of utilizing soft corn. There was practically no 
 more labor involved in the harvesting and feeding of the ear-corn 
 silage than in the harvesting and feeding of the shock corn, but the 
 investment in equipment was of course much larger when the corn was 
 fed as silage.. 
 
 Under the weather conditions that prevailed during this experi- 
 ment, the shocked-corn method of feeding proved very satisfactory 
 w T hen the total beef and pork produced per acre are considered. This 
 method, however, probably entails the greatest risk of spoilage of 
 any of the methods used in this investigation. Hauling soft corn 
 direct from field to feed lot is fairly satisfactory if the only considera- 
 tion is the amount of meat produced, but it is not satisfactory from a 
 labor standpoint after bad weather sets in. 
 
 Sound Corn Made Better-Looking Beef 
 
 In order to observe the quality of beef produced by soft corn, 
 the wholesale rib cut from one side of each steer in Lot 3, fed soft 
 corn, and in Lot 4, fed sound corn, was shipped from Chicago to the 
 University for study. 
 
14 BULLETIN No. 313 [June, 
 
 As stated in the Thirty-Eighth Annual Report of this Station. 
 "'based on appearance, the quality of beef from steers that were fed 
 sound corn was superior to that from steers fed soft corn. The 
 carcasses were passed on by a number of packing house men and 
 retail meat dealers who knew nothing of the feed the cattle had eaten. 
 All of them preferred the sound-corn cattle. The marbling and color- 
 ing of the beef in these carcasses were much better than in those pro- 
 duced on soft com. In addition, the meat was firmer. However, 
 chemical analysis of the ribs did not show any difference in water and 
 fat content between the beef from the two groups. There was no dif- 
 ference in the palatability of the two kinds of beef." 
 
 SOFT EAR-CORN SILAGE VS. SHELLED CORN FOR CALVES 
 
 Very satisfactory results were secured from the use of soft corn 
 in the form of snapped ear-corn silage in a 200-day feeding trial with 
 calves during the season of 1926-27. Good to choice, high-grade 
 Hereford feeders from southwest Texas were used. They had not been 
 accustomed to grain when started on experiment. 
 
 Twenty-five steer calves were selected and divided into two lots. 
 Lot 7, including 15 calves, was fed a ration of ear-corn silage, cotton- 
 seed meal, and alfalfa hay. Lot 8, containing 10 calves, was fed a 
 ration of Xo. 5 shelled corn, cottonseed meal, normal silage, and al- 
 falfa hay. 
 
 Both lots were started on experimental feed December 25, 1926. 
 Lot 7 was started on 10 pounds of ear-corn silage, 1 pound of cotton- 
 seed meal, and 2 pounds of alfalfa hay per head daily. Lot 8 re- 
 ceived 2 pounds of shelled corn, 1 pound of cottonseed meal. 10 pounds 
 of normal silage, and 2 pounds of alfalfa hay per head daily. The 
 allowances of ear-corn silage and shelled corn were rapidly increased 
 until the calves were on full feed. 
 
 Cottonseed meal was fed to both lots at the rate of 1 pound per 
 head daily until the consumption of shelled corn in Lot 8 reached 7 
 pounds; thereafter the cottonseed meal was fed to both lots at the rate 
 of 1 pound to 7 pounds of shelled corn consumed by Lot 8. 
 
 Alfalfa hay was fed in both lots at the rate of 2 pounds per head 
 daily thruout the experiment. 
 
 Calves on Ear-Corn Silage Made Slightly Cheapsr Gains 
 
 The ear-corn silage was put up in the fall of 1925 and the silo 
 had not been open in the intervening 15 months. It had kept perfectly 
 and the calves relished it from the beginning. 
 
 During the first 140 days the calves in Lot 7 consumed an average 
 of 18.08 pounds of ear-corn silage per head daily; this was equivalent 
 to approximately 8 pounds of shelled corn. During the same period 
 calves in Lot 8 consumed an average of 9.07 pounds of shelled corn 
 
1928} 
 
 SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 
 
 15 
 
 per head daily, not including the corn contained in the normal silage. 
 The average daily gain in Lot 7 was 2.25 pounds for the first 140 
 days and 2.52 in Lot 8 for the same period. It appears, therefore, 
 that the calves receiving soft corn in the form of ear-corn silage made 
 slightly better use of the corn in the ration than the calves receiving 
 shelled corn. 
 
 At the end of 140 days' feeding, Lot 7 was divided. Ten of the 
 calves, designated as Lot 7a, were continued on the original ration. 
 Five calves, designated as Lot 7b. were given shelled corn in addition 
 
 FIG. 4. FEEDER CALVES USED ix 1926-27 EXPERIMENT 
 This is the shelled corn lot after 126 days. The ear-corn 
 
 silage lot made somewhat more efficient, tho not quite so 
 
 rapid, gains. 
 
 and the allowance of ear-corn silage was reduced about one-third. 
 The addition of shelled corn to the ration increased the total consump- 
 tion of corn for the entire period but failed to increase the rate of gain. 
 
 The estimated value placed on these cattle by a committee com- 
 posed of commission men and packer buyers from the Union Stock 
 Yards, Chicago, at the close of the experiment was $11.25 for the 
 steers fed soft corn in the form of ear-corn silage thruout the test, 
 Lot 7a, and 11.15 for the steers in Lot 7b that received shelled corn in 
 addition to ear-corn silage during the last 60 days. However, the 
 steers that received shelled corn for the last 60 days shipped better, 
 outsold the straight ear-corn silage lot 25 cents per hundredweight, 
 and outdressed them 1.7 percent (Table 4i. 
 
 Two steers in Lot 7a became very sick about ten days before the 
 close of the experiment. One of these steers was removed from the lot 
 on July 5 and the other on July 9. One died a few days later and the 
 other was killed for autopsy. The cause of their illness was not 
 
16 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 [June. 
 
 TABLE 4. SOFT EAR-CORN SILAGE vs. SHELLED CORN FOR FATTENING CALVES 
 
 (December 25, 1926. to July 13, 1927, 200 days) 
 
 Cost of cattle in lots per 
 cwt.. $9.90 
 
 Lot 7 
 15 steers 
 140 days 
 
 Lot 7a 
 10 steers 
 200 days 
 
 Lot7b 
 5 steers 
 200 days 
 
 Lot 8 
 10 steers 
 140 days 
 
 Lot 8a 
 7 steers 
 200 days 
 
 Average initial weight, 
 
 pounds 377 . 6 
 
 Average final weight 692 . 6 
 
 Total gain per head 315.0 
 
 Awn:;',- d;uh gain.. ... 2.25 
 
 Average daily ration, pounds . 
 
 Shelled corn 
 
 Cottonseed meal 1 . 36 
 
 Ear-corn silage 18 . 08 
 
 Normal corn silage 
 
 Mfalfa hay 2.00 
 
 Dry matter per head daily, 
 
 pounds 11. S9 
 
 Feed per cwt. gain, pounds 
 
 Shelled corn 
 
 Cottonseed meal 60 
 
 Ear-corn silage 804 
 
 Normal corn silage 
 
 Alfalfa hay 
 
 Total dry matter per cwt. 
 
 (.:iiM, poumi.s 527.9 
 
 Feed cost per cwt. gain $ 7.38 
 
 Necessary selling price per 
 
 '".', !. 1!) 1"! $ 8.55 
 
 Estimated value per cwt. in 
 
 lot' $ 9.05 
 
 Estimated value per head in 
 
 lot $62.68 
 
 Gain of hogs per steer, pounds 
 Corn fed hogs per steer, 
 
 pounds 
 
 Income from hogs per steer 
 
 (9c per pound) 
 
 Return per head above initial 
 cost of cattle and feed . 
 
 Excluding pork $ 3.44 
 
 Including pork 
 
 Bushels of corn fed per head.. 
 Corn fed per cwt. gain, 
 
 shelled basis, pounds. . . . 
 Return per bushel of corn 
 
 Market slaughter data, 
 
 Chicago 
 Weight per head (July 19), 
 
 pounds 
 
 Shrinkage July 13-19, 
 
 pounds 
 
 Shrinkage July 13-19, 
 
 percentage 
 
 Selling price per cwt., Chicago 
 Net proceeds per head 7 . . . . 
 Net returns per cwt. on 
 
 July 13 weight 
 
 Dressing percentage. 
 
 20.24 
 
 359.8 
 $ .92 
 
 361.8 
 807.51 
 443. 6 1 
 2.18 
 
 1.48 
 20.16 
 
 13.01 
 
 68'" 
 920 
 
 92'" 
 
 594.6 
 $ 7.79 
 
 $ 8.66 
 $11.25 
 
 $90.84 
 
 $20.91 
 
 32.26< 
 
 407.3 
 $ 1.39 
 
 774.0' 
 36.0 
 4.44 
 
 $12.10 
 $90.24 
 
 $11.14 
 5S.9 
 
 409.0 
 830.7 
 421.7 
 2.11 
 
 5.38 s 
 
 1.768 
 
 16.938 
 
 15.318 
 
 77 
 
 70 
 
 841 
 
 82' 
 
 612.4 
 $ 8.23 
 
 $ 9.05 
 $11.15 
 $92.63 
 
 $17.44 
 
 34.14 
 
 453.4 
 $ 1.25 
 
 802.0 
 28.7 
 3.45 
 
 $12.35 
 $95.64 
 
 $11.51 
 
 376.0 
 728.5 
 352.5 
 2.52 
 
 9.07 
 1.36 
 
 8.14 
 2.00 
 
 12.72 
 
 360 
 54 
 
 323 
 79 
 
 504.4 
 $ 7.18 
 
 $ 8.58 
 
 $ 9.65 
 
 $70.30 
 
 15.8 
 
 15.50 
 
 $ 1.23 
 
 $ 7.76 
 $ 8.99 
 
 22.70 
 
 360.6 
 $ 1.07 
 
 379.1 
 849.5 
 470.4 
 2.35 
 
 10.08 
 1.48 
 
 8.08 
 2.00 
 
 13.66 
 
 428 
 63 
 
 343 
 85 
 
 579.7 
 $ S.32 
 
 $ 9.03 
 
 $11.85 
 
 $100.67 
 
 37.5 
 
 42.37 
 
 $ 2.85 
 
 $23.98 
 $26.83 
 
 36.00 
 
 428.6 
 $ 1.36 
 
 'Eight steers only ; one steer removed July 5 and one July 9 owing to sickness. 2 The shelled corn was 
 of only fair quality and would grade No. 4 or No. 5. 'Estimated Chicago value less $1.00 per cwt. 
 <On a dry-matter basis the ear-corn silage contained the equivalent of 16 bushels of No. 1 corn per 
 ton of silage. 'Five head only; 3 steers from Lot 7a were retained for futher feeding. 'Lot 8a was 
 slaughtered at Urbana. 'Gross proceeds less $3.41 per head marketing expense. Feed prices used in 
 calculation: shelled corn 70 cents a bushel, cottonseed meal $40 a ton, ear-corn silage $12 a ton, normal 
 corn silage $5 a ton, alfalfa hay $20 a ton. 8 The average daily ration given for Lot 7b is for the last 
 60 days only; the feed consumed by these calves during the first 140 days is the same as for Lot 7. 
 
192S] SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 17 
 
 definitely determined but symptoms were suggestive of otitis media. 1 
 Xo evidence involving any part of the ration was found. However, in 
 order to eliminate the ration as a possible factor in this trouble, three 
 of the calves were not shipped when the experiment was finished but 
 were retained on the ration of ear-corn silage, cottonseed meal, and 
 alfalfa hay until September 20, another 69 days. During this time 
 these calves continued in perfect health and made slightly larger gains 
 than three similar calves retained from Lot 8a fed shelled corn. 
 
 Three of the calves in Lot 8 receiving a ration of shelled corn, 
 cottonseed meal, normal silage, and alfalfa hay were removed from the 
 experiment, at the end of 140 days for slaughter in connection with 
 another phase of the investigation. The remaining 7 steers in this 
 lot continued to make more rapid gains than the calves on ear-corn 
 silage. At the end of 200 days these 7 steers in Lot 8a had put on a 
 total gain of 470.4 pounds per head, or an average daily gain of 2.35 
 pounds, while the steers in Lot 7a had made a total gain of 443.5 
 pounds per head, or an average daily gain of 2.18 pounds. 
 
 While the rate of gain in both lots was satisfactory, the steers 
 in Lot 8a that received shelled corn showed a noticeably higher finish 
 and were valued 60 cents more per hundredweight than the calves that 
 received ear-corn silage. It should be noted, however, that when the 
 labor involved in feeding, interest charges and equipment charges are 
 disregarded and all profits are credited to the corn fed, the returns per 
 bushel in the two lots are practically the same. On the basis of 16 
 bushels of corn per ton of ear-corn silage, the steers in Lot 7a con- 
 sumed an average of 32.26 bushels of corn in 200 days and returned 
 $1.39 per bushel. The steers in Lot 8a consumed 36 bushels of corn 
 per head, not counting the corn in the normal silage, and returned 
 $1.36 per bushel. On the basis of a total consumption of 32.26 bushels 
 of corn, Lot 7a required 407.3 pounds of corn (shelled basis) per 
 hundredweight of gain and Lot 8a required 428.6. This difference, 
 however, is not significant. 
 
 Dry Matter in Grain of Ear-Corn Silage Proved Equal to 
 Dry Matter in Shelled Corn 
 
 The grain fed the ear-corn silage lot was calculated on a Xo. 1, 
 14 percent moisture basis while that fed the shelled-corn lot graded Xo. 
 5 and contained an average of 17.4 percent moisture. When corn re- 
 quired per hundredweight gain is calculated on a water-free basis, the 
 figures are 350.2 pounds for the ear-corn silage lot and 353.9 pounds 
 for the shelled-corn lot. It is also significant that the difference in 
 the consumption of total dry matter per hundredweight of gain in these 
 
 'An inflammation of the middle ear sometimes terminating in inflammation 
 of the brain. 
 

 - ~- : .1 
 
 
 
I 
 
 I - - "_ : - - ". - i 
 
 ' " - . ~. ; : ; 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 ; 
 
20 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 [June, 
 
 TABLE 5. SOFT EAR-CORN SILAGE vs. SHELLED CORN FOR FATTENING CALVES 
 (January 26 to May 16, 1918, 110 days) 
 
 
 Soft ear-corn 
 silage 
 20 calves 
 
 No. 5 Shelled 
 corn 
 10 calves 
 
 Average initial weight 
 
 Ibs. 
 490.5 
 
 Ibs. 
 490.0 
 
 Average daily gain for 110 days 
 
 2.20 
 
 2.95 
 
 Average daily ration 
 Ear-corn silage 
 
 28 32 
 
 
 Shelled corn 
 
 
 12.82 
 
 Linseed meal 
 
 1.51 
 
 2.56 
 
 Normal silage. ... ... 
 
 
 18.52 
 
 Calculated dry matter per dav 
 
 13.09 
 
 18.23 
 
 Feed per cwt. gain 
 Ear-corn silage 
 
 1 289 
 
 
 Shelled corn 
 
 
 434 
 
 Linseed meal 
 
 69 
 
 87 
 
 Normal silage 
 
 
 597 
 
 Calculated dry matter per cwt. gain 
 
 595 
 
 618 
 
 NOTE The calves used in this experiment were high-grade Shorthorns. 
 
 the difference in the consumption of dry matter. The moisture con- 
 tent of the ear-corn silage averaged 58.6 percent. Hence the ration of 
 28.32 pounds of ear-corn silage and 1.51 pounds of linseed meal 
 amounts to only 13.09 pounds when reduced to a dry-matter basis, 
 while the dry matter in the ration of the other lot amounts to 18.23 
 pounds. The total dry matter per hundredweight gain was then almost 
 identical for the two lots. 
 
 Unfortunately data on the percentage of husks and shanks were 
 not secured on this silage, and it is therefore impossible to calculate 
 the dry matter in the grain portion. It is obvious, however, that the 
 husks, shanks, and cobs contained a considerable portion of the total 
 dry matter and it appears certain that when reduced to equal mois- 
 ture basis there was considerably less grain fed to the ear-corn silage 
 lot than to the shelled-corn lot. If we assume that the percentage of 
 husks and shanks in this silage corresponds to the percentage actually 
 determined on another variety of corn used for ear-corn silage in 
 1924, a not only would the consumption of grain be much lower in the 
 silage lot but the dry matter in the grain per hundredweight gain would 
 also be lower. 
 
 Unsatisfactory Results in One Experiment 
 
 During the fall and winter of 1919-20, 20 home-grown calves were 
 fed a ration of snapped ear-corn silage and linseed meal. No other 
 
 J See Table 1. 
 
1928} SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 21 
 
 feeds of any sort were supplied. These calves were well grown, aver- 
 aging 457 pounds per head when started on this test November 6. 
 
 These calves did not relish their ration. In fact they were on feed 
 almost two months before they consumed as much as 20 pounds of 
 ear-corn silage per head per day. The calves fed in 1916 were eating 
 that much by the end of the first week of the trial. Early in January 
 several of the calves were clearly off feed. One died on the twenty- 
 ninth of that month and another died on February 26. Because of the 
 unthrifty condition of more than half of the animals the test was 
 abandoned on March 6, and 6 of the sickest calves were taken to the 
 Animal Pathology Laboratory for observation, where they were con- 
 tinued on the original experimental ration in the hope of ascertaining 
 the cause of the trouble. Xo other calves died, and those that were 
 in the poorest condition when they were taken to the laboratory made 
 some improvement, but no marked change was noted until spring when 
 grass came, then a marked improvement was noticed in all the animals. 
 
 Apparently the small amount of grass which grew in the lot where 
 these calves were confined furnished something that was lacking in 
 their previous ration. The evidence on this point ; however, is too 
 meager to warrant the drawing of any conclusions as to the actual 
 cause of their unthrifty condition and subsequent improvement. In- 
 vestigations under way at the present time (winter 1927-28) are de- 
 signed to throw some light on the influence of vitamines as supplied by 
 alfalfa hay and of minerals as supplied by bone meal in a ration com- 
 posed of ear-corn silage and cottonseed meal. 
 
 On March 6, 10 of the remaining calves were put on a ration of 
 shelled corn, linseed meal, alfalfa hay and normal silage. On this 
 ration they made satisfactory gains. On August 4, 4 of the heifers 
 were put into the College purebred herd, and 5 steers and 1 heifer 
 were shipped to Chicago, where they averaged 955 pounds and sold 
 for $17 per hundredweight, the top of the day. 
 
 The appearance of this ear-corn silage was good, and a bacteri- 
 ological examination failed to reveal anything that might cause the 
 unthrifty condition observed in the experimental calves. 
 
 Good Results With Two-Year Olds 
 
 During the fall of 1918, 20 two-year-old steers averaging 812 
 pounds, were given an average daily ration of 23.86 pounds of snapped 
 ear-corn silage, 2.46 pounds of linseed meal, and 1.95 pounds of oat 
 straw for a period of 79 days. During that time they made an average 
 daily gain of 1.67 pounds. 
 
 This gain is considered satisfactory in the light of the fact that 
 not much more than half a full feed of ear-corn silage was fed. Sub- 
 sequent experience leads to the belief that these steers would have 
 made much larger gains if the feeder had not been so cautious in 
 
22 
 
 N No. 313 
 
 [June, 
 
 getting them on full feed. In the 1924 experiment steers weighing 980 
 pounds were started on 30 pounds of ear-corn silage per head daily 
 and for the 80-day feeding period their consumption of silage averaged 
 45.43 pounds per head daily ( see Table 2, Lot 5 ) . 
 
 MOISTURE CONTENT OF SOFT CORN 
 
 The moisture content of soft corn was shown by early investi- 
 gations to vary greatly with its stage of maturity at the time of 
 the first killing frost and with subsequent handling and weather 
 conditions. Immediately following the first killing frost it may vary 
 from around 25 percent for corn that has reached its full growth and 
 started to dry out normally, to 50 percent or even 65 percent for corn 
 caught by frost while in the roasting-ear stage. Under favorable 
 weather conditions corn with the smaller moisture content will dry out 
 in the field and make fairly sound grain. Corn with the larger amounts 
 of moisture, caught by frost while the stalk is still green and full of 
 sap, will not dry out readily, and only the most favorable weather con- 
 ditions, with continued dry, cool, and sunshiny days, can prevent it 
 from spoiling in the field. 
 
 The percentage of moisture and total dry substance per acre in 
 corn and cob at different stages of growth for the year 1917, already 
 referred to as an especially serious soft-corn year, and for 1918, which 
 was a normal corn year (Table 6), show how variations in the season 
 affect the growth, maturity, and ultimate feeding value of the crop. 
 
 TABLE 6. How VARIATION'S ix SEASON T AFFECT AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE AND 
 DRY MATTER PER ACRE ix CORN* AND COB AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH 1 
 
 1917: Soft-corn year 
 
 1918: Normal corn year 
 
 Date 
 
 Moisture 
 
 Dry 
 substance 
 
 per acre 
 
 Date 
 
 Moisture 
 
 Dry 
 
 substance 
 per acre 
 
 Aug. 15-16 
 Aug. 24 
 
 pcrct. 
 
 90.53 
 82.67 
 78.38 
 71.02 
 68.51 
 61.56 
 57.47 
 54.71 
 51.40 
 38.76 
 51.04 
 
 Ibs. 
 
 238.5 
 96S.3 
 1 532.1 
 2 610.0 
 3 050.9 
 3 876.5 
 3 S80.0 
 4 619.8 
 4 491.7 
 5 097.0 
 4 228.2 
 
 Aug. 16 
 
 pcrct. 
 
 77.11 
 66.39 
 53.54 
 45.31 
 40.51 
 38.62 
 31.77 
 28.56 
 26.55 
 23.85 
 26.30 
 22.60 
 22.41 
 17.38 
 
 Ibs. 
 
 1 156.3 
 2 088.5 
 3 987.8 
 4 497.9 
 4 535.2 
 4 879.6 
 4 616.3 
 4 493.4 
 4 533.3 
 4 630.1 
 4 208.1 
 3 953.6 
 3 874.1 
 3 522.1 
 
 Aug. 23 
 
 Aug. 31-Sept. 1 
 Sept. 6 
 
 Sept. 6 
 
 Sept, 18 ... 
 
 Sept, 11 
 
 Sept. 26 
 
 Sept. 19-20. .. . 
 Sept. 26-28.... 
 Oct. 4-5 . 
 
 Oct. 3 
 
 Oct. 11 
 
 Oct. IS 
 
 Oct. 12. ... 
 
 Nov. 1 
 
 Nov. 5 
 
 Nov. 22 
 
 Oct. 25 2 
 
 Nov. 6 2 
 
 
 Dec. II 2 
 
 Jan. 22 2 . . . . 
 
 MitvS 2 
 
 1 From unpublished data by Grindley and Eckstein, University of Illinois. 
 2 Shock corn. 
 
1928} SOFT CORN ix BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 23 
 
 There was a marked difference in the percentage of moisture and in 
 the total dry substance in grain and cob per acre in the samples taken 
 about the middle of August each year. The difference was fairly well 
 maintained thruout the rest of the season, the moisture content run- 
 ning approximately 15 percent higher during 1917 than it did for cor- 
 responding dates in 1918. The total pounds of dry substance per acre 
 reached an approximate maximum, indicating approaching maturity, 
 much earlier in 1918 than in 1917. 
 
 While the difference in the moisture content of the ears during the 
 abnormal year 1917 and the normal year 1918 persisted thruout the 
 growing season, the differences in the total dry-matter content of corn 
 and cob per acre gradually lessened. In fact the total dry matter on 
 October 5, 1917, the day preceding the first killing frost, was practi- 
 cally equal to the total dry matter on October 3, 1918. This appears 
 to indicate that even in a soft-corn year like that of 1917 some fields 
 may produce practically the normal amount of dry matter but that 
 it is greatly diluted with water. 
 
 Aside from the belief that soft corn is of low feeding value, this 
 excess moisture is considered objectionable because it impairs both the 
 storage and milling qualities of the grain. The storage and shipping 
 of corn with more than 25 percent moisture are attended with so much 
 risk that the market outlet is very limited. Hence the soft-corn 
 problem is largely one of how best to preserve the feeding value of the 
 dry matter in the immature ears and how to feed it most efficiently. 
 
 If, as the present investigations tend to show, a pound of dry 
 matter in well-preserved soft corn is as efficient as a pound of dry 
 matter in mature corn, then there was little difference in the feeding 
 value per acre of these two fields. 
 
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOFT CORN 
 
 A study of the chemical composition of the dry substance re- 
 ported in Table 6 is shown in Table 7. 
 
 During the later periods, when growth was most likely to be 
 stopped by frost, there were no differences in the percentage composi- 
 tion of the dry matter in these two fields of corn which appear signifi- 
 cant. While a chemical analysis of this nature does not give all the 
 information necessary to form final judgment of the relative feeding 
 value of the dry matter in soft and in mature corn, it does, so far as 
 it goes, tend to confirm the results of feeding trials at this Station 
 and at Iowa 1 which indicate that the drv matter in soft corn is about 
 
 'Kennedy and others at the Iowa Station (Bui. 75, Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta., 
 1902) as the result of their investigations, conclude that, "Soft corn . . . contain- 
 ing 35 percent of moisture at the beginning of the test, pound for pound, on a 
 water-free, or dry matter basis was fully equal in feeding value to mature corn . . . 
 when used for fattening cattle." Evvard (Circ. 40, Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta., 1917) 
 
24 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 [June, 
 
 
 2 E 
 
 tfO! 
 
 O~ cc 
 
 " QJ 
 
 fe^H rl 
 OO> x 
 
 O cc * 
 
 35 32 
 
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 a, 
 
 
1928} SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 25 
 
 equal pound for pound in feeding value to the dry matter of mature 
 corn. In fact evidence has been presented by Osborne and Mendel 2 
 tending to show that the proteins of immature corn may have a higher 
 biological value than the proteins of mature corn. They have shown 
 that the nutritive value of the proteins of the corn embryo is distinctly 
 higher than the nutritive value of the proteins of corn endosperm. If 
 the development of the corn kernel can be compared with that of the 
 wheat grain, then the embryo, with its proteins of high nutritive value, 
 develops more rapidly and is completed sooner than the endosperm 
 with its proteins of low nutritive value. It would appear probable 
 from this that the proteins of soft corn are fully as valuable as, if not 
 superior to, those of mature corn. Chemical determinations of the 
 character of the proteins of mature and immature corn reported to 
 date are not in sufficient accord, however, to justify any definite state- 
 ment in this regard. 
 
 Chemical Composition Not Significantly Changed in Silo 
 
 In the experiment with weanling calves (pages 19 and 20) a study 
 was made of the chemical composition of the fresh ear-corn silage 
 used, both as it was put into the silo and after it had gone thru the 
 siloing process. The results are reported in Table 8. This corn was 
 from the same field as that reported in Table 6. 
 
 The larger percentage of moisture in the silage as compared with 
 the field sample is accounted for by the fact that 6.4 tons of water 
 was added thru the blower to 48.39 tons of snapped ears siloed. It 
 will be noted also that the moisture content of the sample taken March 
 8 was considerably less than that of the fresh silage; while that of the 
 sample taken May 13, near the bottom of the silo, was considerably 
 higher. This is explained by the fact that when a large amount of 
 free water is added, it is not absorbed rapidly enough to prevent some 
 of it from settling toward the bottom of the silo. 
 
 The results of chemical analysis, as expressed on a dry-matter 
 basis, show no significant changes taking place during the siloing 
 
 reports that hogs fed for 108 days on sample grade corn containing an average of 
 21. 3 percent moisture made more rapid gains on slightly less dry matter per pound 
 of gain than similar hogs fed old No. 3 corn containing 13.8 percent moisture. 
 He says, "It is surprising how well pigs like soft and immature corn. They may 
 root out a few spoiled kernels now and then, but when the self-feeders are closed 
 down somewhat, they even eat most of these." Evvard, Lamb, and Maynard 
 (Bui. 216, Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta., 1923) also report satisfactory results from siloing 
 husked ears. In this experiment soft corn was purchased on the market and 
 sorted into four grades. All grades came thru the siloing process in good condi- 
 tion with the exception of the poorest grade, which contained a large amount of 
 moldy corn. Chemical studies on the resulting silage indicated that the dry 
 matter was not unlike that of mature corn. 
 Mour. Biol. Chem. 29, 79. 1917. 
 
26 
 
 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 [June, 
 
 
 
 
 :3 : 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T 1 C^ 1"H 1""< * 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 OCO -COCO CO 
 
 
 co co 
 
 
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 o 
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 lO -* CO CO CO 
 
 
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 1 1 
 
 
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 CO i-H CJ t> 
 
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 (MIM 
 
 
 a 
 
 Q 
 
 ^ 
 
 
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 or- 
 
 
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 PH 
 
 
 T I O3 1 1 T 1 
 
 
 co-* 
 
 
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 2.9 
 
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 co co co co 1-1 
 
 CO-* -COCO (M 
 
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 1 
 
 10 CO 
 
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 EC 
 
 
 
 CO CO CO IO 
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 en co co o in 
 
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 22 
 
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 5* 
 
 
 
 
 
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 ^^ H 
 
 
 
 
 
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 '55 
 
 
 
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 03 
 
 
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 5 "*< 
 
 
 - - 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 8. PERCENTAGE CHE! 
 
 Kind of material 
 
 
 3 ' 
 
 co" ^ 
 c3 03 
 
 o y- 'C 
 bC O fe 
 
 '53 g", 
 fi H . 
 
 O O ^ 
 V b/D^ 
 T3 ^ '53 
 
 | III o 1 
 
 r^ O O G^ cd G 
 
 Illlll 
 
 
 rt 
 
 II 
 
 '53 s3 
 
 g'53 
 o c; 
 
 II 
 
 ll 
 
 _c 
 
 02 
 
 w 
 
 22 
 "3 
 
 
 II 
 
 
 CO CO 
 ^00 CN^ 
 
 t-t tri ^ 
 
 
 (N 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 a 
 
1928} 
 
 SOFT CORN IN BEEF CATTLE FEEDING 
 
 27 
 
 process except a marked reduction in crude fiber and ash which is 
 compensated for by increases in the other constituents. These differ- 
 ences would suggest no detrimental effects from chemical changes 
 taking place during the siloing process. 
 
 Acidity determinations were made because of the observed pitting 
 effect of ear-corn silage on the walls of concrete silos. The rather 
 high acidity for the March 28 sample is suggestive of the cause of the 
 pitting. It is not known what effect, if any, this acidity may have 
 on the feeding value of the silage. 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 Six experiments involving the use of ear-corn silage for cattle 
 feeding have been conducted at the University of Illinois beginning 
 in 1916. The most extensive trial was made with the frosted crop 
 of 1924, when soft corn was fed experimentally in the form of shocked 
 corn, as standing corn pastured in the field, as broken ears brought 
 from the field as needed, and as ear-corn silage made from the snapped 
 
 FIG. 6. SNAPPING FROSTED CORN FOR EAR-CORN SILAGE 
 This mechanical picker was used on the farm of Bryce D. 
 Smith at Genoa, Illinois. Mr. Smith used two pickers with husk- 
 ing rolls covered with sheet metal, and reports excellent results. 
 He believes that the use of mechanical pickers expedited the 
 work and reduced the cost. 
 
 ears. The ear-corn silage contained most of the husks, some shanks, 
 and all of the grain and cob. 
 
 In all but one of the six experiments the cattle relished well- 
 preserved soft corn and made satisfactory gains on all forms fed. 
 
 Ranked on the basis of the combined gains produced on cattle 
 and hogs by an acre of soft corn, ear-corn silage comes first ; then 
 
28 BULLETIN No. 313 
 
 shock corn, then corn left in the field and husked as needed, and 
 standing corn pastured by the cattle in the field, last. Pasturing or 
 "cattling-down" of corn in the field resulted in much waste that was 
 not recovered by the hogs following the cattle. 
 
 Gains on soft-corn rations were not so rapid as on sound mature 
 corn, but they w r ere just as economical considered from the standpoint 
 of the efficiency with which the dry matter of the grain was utilized. 
 
 The total dry matter per acre in grain and cob produced in an 
 experimental field in 1917, a bad soft-corn year, was practically equal 
 to that produced in the same field during the normal season of 1918. 
 
 The amount of dry matter required for 100 pounds gain was 
 practically the same whether fed in the form of soft corn or mature 
 corn. 
 
 The addition of oats or of sound shelled corn to a ration of ear- 
 corn silage did not prove profitable. 
 
 Some trouble was experienced with calves fed ear-corn silage in 
 1920 and again in 1927, but this trouble could not be definitely 
 identified with the character of the rations fed. 
 
 As the market outlet for corn of high moisture content is very 
 limited, feeding on the farm appears to offer the most satisfactory 
 method for its disposal. 
 
; 
 
HOC 
 
"iVERSITYOFILLINOIS-URBANA