Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1915 — Feeding Beet Tope [ARTICLE]

Feeding Beet Tope

Tops of sugar beets are good feed for farm animals. They are rich in protein. They make good feed when given to the stock direct from the field. They are aIBO very good material for putting into a silo. But they should always be fed with judgment, especially wben fed direct from the field. In many sections of the country where beets are grown, the tops are thrown into small pileß In the field and left there. Then the stock are allowed to pasture over the fields and eat as much or as little of these beet tops as they may wish. In other instances the farmer haul® the tops In from the field and stacks them handy to the feed yard, feeding the tops much as he would feed hay. There is considerable danger In either of these methods of feeding the tops. There are many instances in the beet sections of animals becoming poisoned from eating beet tops. In most of these cases which have been thoroughly Investigated It has been found that one of two things has existed. Either the animals were fed nothing but beet tops, or else the tops were moldy; in some cases both of these conditions existed.

It has not yet been determined Just exactly what Is the real cause of the poisoning. It is thought either one of three things may be the cause. The first possibility is thait the moldy tops are the cause; the mold causing serious disturbances in the digestive organs of the animals. The second possibility Is that the poisoning Is due to the presence of oxalic acid, one of the substances which the pure food regulations are trying to keep out of human foods. This acid exists in the tops of the beets; it is possible that where the animals eat the tops in large quantities as their major ration they get sufficient of this acid Into their systems to have a poisoning efon them. The third possibility is especially related to the injurious effects suffered by sheep. It is possible that certain substances found in the crown of the beet, which Is cut off with the tops, cause the trouble. One Is not so much interested In knowing Just exactly what peculiarity in the beet tops It is that causes the trouble as he is in knowing that there is danger of serious trouble if he feeds beet tops under certain conditions. Therefore these are the facts in which one Is vitally interested: In practically all instances where injury from the eating of beets has been reported and investigated ltf was found that tbs stock were either eating moldy beets or else that they were getting little or nothing to eat besides beet tops. Where the rations of the animals were changed so that they were getting a mixed ration which was only partly beet tops, and those tops were fresh and sweet —at least not moldy—the trouble disappeared and no more losses or Injury were noticed. All this brings home one basic fact which one should always remember when feeding animals of any kind: It never pays to feed any animal only one thing; they should be given a variety of feeds and the economy of gains rather than the amount of them should be the first thing to consider always. In the second place, it never pays to feed moldy or spoiled feeds to any animal, even a hog. Such feeds not only do not Increase the weight and flesh of the animal, but they are most sure to make it sick and cause It to lose flesh.