10 March, 1916.] Sur^jlus Lucerne Hay. 139 



Is. per lb., as is the case at the present time, the value of the lucerne 

 would be doubled, and it appears somewhat extraordinary that this has 

 not been realized earlier. 



Green lucerne for pigs is better than hay, and lucerne mixed with 

 maize, wheat, bran and pollard, in proper proportions, will result in 

 even better profits. Henry, on " I'eeds and Feeding," says: — " Where 

 pigs are pastured on lucerne and fed 2 lbs. to 2| lbs. of maize per 

 100 lbs. of pig per day, the amount of maize required to produce 100 lbs. 

 gain in weight is 331 lbs." 



Lucerne pasture is admittedly better than any other for pigs, but 

 it should not be overstocked, and small paddocks should be u&ed so that 

 the lucerne from time to time, may be cut for hay. This has the effect 

 of sustaining the lucerne plots. 



Cotrell, of the Colorado Station, states " that pigs fed with grain 

 and lucerne will make, under good management, 500 lbs. to 1,000 lbs. 

 gain from an acre of lucerne, after deducting the gain due to the 

 feeding of the grain." 



Feeding for Milk. — For milk production in a trial lasting twelve 

 weeks with 8 cows at the New Mexico Station, Veraon found that 

 246 lbs. of lucerne hay alone produced 100 lbs. of milk. These results 

 have been confirmed elsewhere. Taking the milk at 6d. per gallon 

 this leaves £2 5s. per ton of hay on the farm to £3 15s. per ton on 

 the market. This is apparently low, but when dairying is followed the 

 bulk of the lucerne would be fed green, and the cost of hay making 

 avoided, also lucerne should be fed to dairy cows with concentrates in 

 order to obtain full values, and by products from the cows increase the 

 returns. 



Fattening Cattle and Sheep. — When fed to steers two years old 

 1,100 lbs. of lucerne hay gave 100 lbs. gain; therefore, 1 ton of hay 

 should give 200 lbs. gain, which, at 6d. per lb., would equal £5 per 

 ton, and at 4d. per lb. equal £3 6s. on the farm. 



Here again, if fed green a saving in cost and labour would be made, 

 also the prices taken for meat are far below present values. 



For raising fat lambs for export the cheapest system is to provide 

 small paddocks in which the lucerne can be allowed to reach its maxi- 

 mum growtli before the sheep are turned in, and constant changes to 

 fresh paddocks made. One cutting each year for hay from every pad- 

 dock should be obtained, and a good system of cultivation followed 

 in all. 



In buying stock for fattening care should be taken to secure animals 

 likely to return the greatest profit, as for instance, 6 or 8 tooth sheep 

 will fatten quicker, and at less cost than either very young or old 

 sheep. A good dairy cow will also give a greater proportionate return 

 than a cow with a smaller milk yield for the amount of food supplied, 

 while in the case of pigs good forward stores of the right weights will 

 result in a quicker turn over and larger profits. It does not follow 

 that the lowest priced stock of any description are the cheapest, as 

 much depends upon suitability for the purpose required, and the 

 margin of profit on the higher priced stores may easily be greater than 

 tliat on the cheaper lines. 



Further, it is obvious that were the liav or green fodder more 

 generally used on the farms, markets would not be glutted to the same 

 extent ; this would insure better market values. 



