384 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



fed tho same ration except that timothy hay replaced alfalfa, lost 124 lbs. The 

 average cost of the 2 rations was 9.9 cts. and 12.8 cts. per day. The rations were 

 then reversed for 56 days, and the horses fed alfalfa hay gained 75 11 )s. while those 

 fed timothy hay lost 60 lbs. 



In a second test nnder practically the same experimental conditions, except that 

 the grain ration was larger, averaging a little over 12 lbs. per day, the 2 horses on 

 alfalfa hay gained 55 lbs. in 91 days while those fed the timothy hay lost 41 lbs. 

 When the rations were reversed the horses on alfalfa hay gained 65 lbs. in 68 days, 

 anil those on timothy hay lost 100 lbs. 



The rations were also tested for 39 days with 2 driving horses used for light work. 

 In addition to some 12 lbs. of grain per day, 1 horse ate 8.3 lbs. timothy and the 

 other 16 lbs. of alfalfa hay, on an average. On the former ration there was a loss of 

 50 lbs., on the latter a gain of 10 lbs. 



In the fourth test all the horses previously used were included, and also 2 addi- 

 tional driving horses used for light work. The work horses were fed 15 lbs. of hay 

 and 12 lbs. of oats per head daily, and the driving horses 12 lbs. of hay and 9 lbs. of 

 oats; in each case 2 horses were fed timothy and 2 alfalfa hay. In 180 days the 

 horses fed timothy lost 189 lbs., while those fed alfalfa made a total gain of 8 lbs. 



Using 2 of the work horses a test covering 60 days was made in which the rations 

 were reversed every 10 days. The horses were fed the same amount of hay and 

 grain, yet they ate 253 lbs. more alfalfa than timothy during an equal number of 

 days, which also "lirings out very clearly the fact that individuality is an important 

 factor in feeding." 



In all of these tests the alfalfa ration was the cheaper. The author notes that 

 generally speaking the uneaten residue, i. e., waste, was also less on the alfalfa 

 ration. 



The merits of alfalfa hay fed without grain were also studied. In a 10-day test 2 

 work horses (idle during the test), weighing nearly 1,400 lbs. each, practically main- 

 tained their weight on an average daily ration of 19.8 lbs. alfalfa per head. The 

 same horses fed alfalfa hay without grain for 21 days (working 9 hours a day) con- 

 sumed on an average 32.6 lbs. alfalfa hay daily. One horse lost 2 lbs., the other 76 

 lbs. With very severe work 40 lbs. of alfalfa hay was not an adequate ration, 

 though it was apparently as large a quantity as could be eaten. It was noted that the 

 team was not as lively as on a ration of hay and grain. 



The author's principal conclusions regarding the feeding of alfalfa are in effect as 

 follows: 



In comparing alfalfa and timothy as roughage for horses, the results of the tests, 

 under varying conditions of work, show that it is not as difficult to maintain the 

 weights of horses when fed alfalfa as when fed timothy. With timothy at $6 and 

 alfalfa at $4 per ton the cost of maintenance was greater in every case, except one, on 

 timothy than on alfalfa. The appearance of the horses in every comparison of alfalfa 

 and timothy was in favor of the alfalfa-fed horse. When alfalfa and timothy were 

 fed ad Hbitiun much greater quantities of alfalfa were consimied. 



No ill results were noted on the health of the horses by long-continued alfalfa 

 feeding. Attacks of colic and other digestive disorders can be prevented by a judi- 

 cious system of feeding. The amount of hay fed on mo.st Utah farms could be 

 reduced at least one-half. It may be economical to reduce the amount of hay and 

 increase the amount of grain fed to horses. 



Twenty pounds of alfalfa per day proved sufficient to maintain the weights of 

 horses weighing nearly 1,400 lbs. when at rest. When at heavy work, 32.62 lbs. of 

 alfalfa per day was barely sufficient to maintain the weights of the same horses. 



The author discusses the amount of feed required by horses, and emphasizes the 

 fact that rations often fed are too large. In the experiment reported. above, in which 

 horses weighing 1,400 lbs. practically maintained their weight on a daily ration of 15 

 lbs. of tiuK.thy hay and 12 lbs. of oats, it was calculated that the ration furnished in 



