FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



083 



The time to cut alfalfa for hay (pp. 61-05). — The yield and composi- 

 tion of alfalfa of different crops and cuttings is discussed. 



"From what has gone before we may at least draw two general conclusions; 

 alfalfa iu passing from the budding stage to the stage of first full flower decreases, 

 pound for pound, in food value; and the acre crop, in passing through the same 

 stages does not lose any of its beef producing power. We may hold this conclusion 

 to be right; that to insure a large yield of dry matter and the largest amount of 

 alhuminoids, alfalfa should be cut not earlier than the period of medium bloom, and 

 not much later than the period of Hist full flower. This in most cases will he 2 or 

 3 weehs after the flower buds begin to appear. It will be a more serious error to cut 

 too early than to cut too late." 



Appendix (pp. 67-90). — In the appendix are given in tabular form the 

 results of the individual analyses discussed in the preceding pages. 



Summary of digestion experiments with Kafir (Oklahoma Sta. 

 Bui. 35, pp. 4). — A number of experiments on the digestibility of Katir 

 corn and Kafir corn products by steers are very briefly summarized. 

 Two trials were made with Kafir corn, but in all other cases 4 trials 

 were made. The coefficients of digestibility are shown in the following 

 table : 



Coefficients of digestibility of Kafir corn, products by steers. 



Shredded Kafir stover 

 Kafir corn, fed dry. . . . 



Katir corn, soaked 



Kafir heads 



Coarse Kafir meal 



Kafir fodder 



Dry 

 matter. 



Per cent. 

 56. 3 

 41.7 

 38.0 

 24. 3 

 64.2 

 60.6 



Protein. 



Per cent. 

 30.5 

 43. 6 

 40.2 

 12.3 

 53.3 

 38.1 



Ether Nit ™f en - 



extract. 



Per cent. 

 79.3 

 44.8 

 38.8 

 31.1 

 46.1 

 61.0 



Per cent. 

 58.2 

 40.8 

 38.0 

 30.8 

 75.9 

 66.4 



Fiber. 



Per cent. 

 67.0 

 45.4 

 35.2 

 27.4 



60.4 



Ash. 



Per cent. 

 19.0 

 63.9 

 65.7 

 53.6 



7.8 



" Kafir corn stover contained as much digestible matter as corn stover. 



" Katir corn fodder contained 10 per cent less of digestible matter than corn fodder. 



"Kafir corn heads contained one-third as much digestible matter as corn-and-cob 

 meal. Kafir corn fed in the heads was neither more nor less digestible than when 

 fed after thrashing. 



"Kafir corn fed after soaking in water for 12 hours was less digestible than when 

 fed dry. Fed dry it contained 40 per cent less digestible matter than coarsely- 

 ground Katir corn meal. 



"Kafir corn meal, coarsely ground, contained 20 per cent less digestible matter 

 than corn meal. It paid to grind Kafir corn. One hundred pounds of Kafir corn 

 meal contained as much digestible matter as 160 lbs. of Kafir corn. 



"A gain of 13 per cent in the amount of digestible matter was secured when Katir 

 corn fodder was thrashed, the grain ground and fed to steers with the shredded 

 stover from the fodder. A gain of less than 2 per cent in the amount of digestible 

 matter was secured when Kafir corn fodder was thrashed and the grain fed to steers 

 with the shredded stover from the fodder." 



In addition to the above, brief notes are given on the steer-feeding 

 experiments made in 1897 and 1S98. 



The steers fed Kafir corn heads made an average gain of 1.85 lbs. 

 per day; those fed Kafir corn meal, 2.36 lbs. daily. Horses, cows, 

 sheep, and pigs have kept in good health and made fair gains when the 



