314 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



and ranches in the West. (339) With the increasing culture of alfalfa 

 in other sections of the country more and more alfalfa hay is likewise 

 being fed to horses in these districts. It is therefore important to learn 

 the conditions essential to its successful use. When the horse is allowed 

 to gorge on alfalfa hay, in addition to having his stomach over-distended 

 with the bulky feed he receives an excess of highly nitrogenous material. 

 This must be excreted thru the kidneys, overworking them, and even, 

 according to McCampbell 47 leading to a chronic inflammatory condition 

 if excessive feeding is long continued. The alfalfa allowance for horses 

 should therefore be limited, McCampbell advising that those at work 

 receive not more than 1.2 Ibs. per 100 Ibs. live weight. The hay should 

 be free from dust, mold, and smut, and should not be cut until almost 

 mature, for hay from early cut alfalfa, as commonly advised for cattle, 

 is too laxative, or " washy, " for horses. 



In view of the prejudice among liverymen and owners of driving 

 horses against alfalfa, a 140-day trial was conducted by McCampbell 

 with 1,160-lb. artillery horses, doing more hard work than the average 

 farm team thruout the year, a considerable portion at a trot and no 

 small amount at a gallop. The horses in Lot I were fed alfalfa hay 

 with 2 Ibs. oats and 8 Ibs. corn, while those in Lot II received timothy 

 hay, with half as much corn and 4 times as much oats. 



Alfalfa vs. timothy hay for horses 



Daily cost of feed 

 Av. gain or loss per 1,000 Ibs. 



Average ration per head live weight 



Lbs. Cents 



Alfalfa-fed horses 



Shelled corn, 8 Ibs. 



Oats, 2 Ibs. Alfalfa hay, 10 Ibs 25.6 12.95 



Timothy-fed horses 



Corn, 4 Ibs. 



Oats, 8 Ibs. Timothy hay, 14 Ibs -7.7 19 . 21 



The alfalfa-fed horses, getting 2 Ibs. less grain and 4 Ibs. less hay 

 than those fed timothy, showed no shortness of wind, softness, or lack 

 of endurance and gained in weight while the others lost. The cost 

 of the alfalfa-hay ration was only about two-thirds that of the tim- 

 othy-hay ration. 



Obrecht found at the Illinois Station 48 that farm horses fed alfalfa 

 hay when doing hard work maintained their weight on 20 to 22 per ct. 

 less grain than others fed timothy hay. Similar favorable results with 

 alfalfa hay are reported by Carroll 49 (Utah Station), Faville 50 (Wyo- 

 ming Station), and Gramlich 51 (Nebraska Station). In an Illinois trial 

 by Edmonds and Kammlade 51a very satisfactory results were secured 

 when farm horses and mules were fed only ear corn and alfalfa hay. 



47 Kan. Bui. 186. w Wyo. Bui. 98. 



"111. Bui. 150. 51 Nebr. Exten. Bui. 28. 



"Utah Cir. 43. '"111. Bui. 238. 



