378 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



of the protein-rich concentrates fed the second lot and also 5 Ibs. of 

 corn silage and 7 Ibs. of corn stover. On this cheaper ration there were 

 produced only 1 Ib. less milk and 0.08 Ib. less fat per head daily. 



612. Substituting alfalfa hay for all the concentrates. Even tho alfalfa 

 hay excels as a roughage for dairy cows, it is nevertheless a roughage 

 and not a concentrate. Hence, when it is substituted for all the con- 

 centrates in a ration, the production of good dairy cows will be decreased 

 markedly. Such a ration as alfalfa hay and corn silage alone is too 

 bulky and not rich enough in net energy for continued high production. 

 Alfalfa hay contains about three times as much fiber as wheat bran, 

 which is bulky for a concentrate, and furnishes but 65 per ct. as much 

 net energy. Bearing in mind the productive capacity of his cows and 

 the price of legume hay compared with concentrates, each dairyman 

 must decide for himself to what extent it is economical to substitute 

 legume hay for concentrates. 



In one instance which has come to the attention of the authors, a 

 dairyman claimed repeatedly that he could secure just as high pro- 

 duction from a ration of good alfalfa hay and first-class corn silage as 

 when he fed a liberal amount of concentrates. When the matter was 

 investigated, it was found that he was supplying the cows with large 

 amounts of very choice alfalfa hay and was not forcing them to eat it 

 up clean, but allowing them to pick out only the leaves and tender parts. 

 The stems were then fed to horses and other stock. This dairyman, who 

 was following a wise farm practice, failed to appreciate that the cows 

 were eating not alfalfa hay, but chiefly alfalfa leaves. These contain 

 nearly as much crude protein as gluten feed, and not much more fiber 

 than oats. 



All the concentrates in a ration were replaced by alfalfa hay in a 

 trial by Billings at the New Jersey Station. 71 In this trial a ration 

 consisting merely of 17.5 Ibs. alfalfa hay and 35 Ibs. corn silage was 

 compared with a ration containing over 9 Ibs. of purchased protein-rich 

 concentrates, fed with corn silage and corn stover. This latter ration 

 was far from ideal, for it contained no legume hay. However, it pro- 

 duced over 20 per ct. more milk and butter fat than the alfalfa hay 

 and silage ration. 



At the Illinois Station 72 Fraser maintained a herd of good producing 

 cows for 6 years exclusively on the alfalfa hay and corn silage grown on 

 20 acres. The average yield of milk was 3,980 Ibs. and of fat 139.5 Ibs. 

 per acre. This ration did not keep the cows in as good condition as when 

 concentrates were fed in addition, and undoubtedly a larger and also 

 more economical yield would have been secured had at least a moderate 

 concentrate allowance been supplied. 



In a 12-week trial with 8 cows at the New Mexico Station 73 Vernon 

 found that 246 Ibs. of alfalfa hay fed alone, or 202 Ibs. of alfalfa hay and 

 49 Ibs. of wheat bran, produced 100 Ibs. of milk. The cows yielded more 



"N. J. Bui. 204, "Information to the authors. 73 N. Hex. Rpt. 1904. 



