490 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



When fed in rations low in protein, alfalfa is worth more per ton than 

 clover hay of equal quality. For example, in a trial by Wilson at the 

 South Dakota Station 84 yearling steers fed only alfalfa hay and corn 

 silage during the first 91 days of the fattening period gained 2.5 Ibs. per 

 head daily, while others fed clover hay and silage gained only 2.3 Ibs. 

 and required more feed per 100 Ibs. of gain. Furthermore, in such 

 rations as shelled corn, corn silage, legume hay, and sufficient cottonseed 

 meal to balance the ration, less of the expensive supplement will be 

 needed if alfalfa hay is fed than if clover hay is used. (777) 



766. Alfalfa hay as a nitrogenous supplement. It has been pointed out 

 previously that when alfalfa hay is fed as the only roughage with corn, 

 which is low in protein, there is no advantage in adding a protein-rich 

 concentrate, for the alfalfa hay is rich enough in protein to balance the 

 ration. (733) When steers are fed silage, however, this succulent feed 

 is so palatable that they will not eat enough alfalfa hay to balance the 

 ration completely. To secure maximum gains it is then necessary to add 

 a protein-rich concentrate, like linseed or cottonseed meal, to provide 

 ample protein. When this is not done, better gains will usually be made 

 on silage, corn, and linseed or cottonseed meal, without any legume hay, 

 than on alfalfa hay, corn, and silage, without the protein-rich supple- 

 ment. For example, in 3 trials by Tomhave, Severson, and Gerlaugh at 

 the Pennsylvania Station 85 steers fed alfalfa hay and corn silage the 

 first 56 days and then fed shelled corn in addition for 84 days during the 

 finishing period gained only 1.79 Ibs. per head daily. Another lot fed 

 only corn silage and 2 to 3 Ibs. of cottonseed meal per head daily during 

 the first 56 days, and then shelled corn in addition during the finishing 

 period, gained 2.03 Ibs., in spite of the fact that this ration could have 

 been improved by the addition of a little dry roughage, as is shown later. 

 (778) With cottonseed meal at $32.66 and alfalfa hay at $15.00 a ton, 

 the feed cost of the gains was cheaper where alfalfa hay was used as the 

 supplement, but the steers sold for a lower price, due to lack of finish. 

 Hence the net return was $2.30 more per head for the steers fed cotton- 

 seed meal. 



When steers are to be fed corn with hay from the grasses or such feeds 

 as corn or sorghum stover as the roughage, larger and also cheaper gains 

 will be made if alfalfa hay is used as part of the roughage than if the 

 ration is balanced by the addition of linseed or cottonseed meal. This 

 result, which is shown in trials by Smith at the Nebraska Station, 86 is 

 probably due to the fact that the ration containing alfalfa hay is much 

 more palatable to cattle than when such feeds as timothy or prairie hay 

 are used as the only roughages. 



767. Stage to cut alfalfa for beef cattle. To determine the value of 

 alfalfa hay cut at different stages of growth, McCampbell and Winchester 

 carried on trials during 3 winters at the Kansas Station. 87 The first 



"Wilson, S. D. Bui. 160. ^Nebr. Buls. 100, 116, 132. 



Tenn. Bui. 145. "Information to the authors. 



