PASTURING AND SOILING III 



than most people care to risk. Aside from the financial 

 loss, there is, also, the humane side of the question. 



A very fair statement, representative of those made by 

 parties who pasture cattle on alfalfa without losses from 

 bloat, is the following, given to the author by Mr. S. C. 

 Hanna, an extensive and reputable breeder of Short- 

 horns, in Elk county, (southern) Kansas, who says: 



^'I have been pasturing alfalfa successfully without 

 bloating my cattle for a number of years ; in fact, I have 

 never lost an animal from alfalfa bloat. As I am raising 

 high priced, pure bred Shorthorns and graze them on 

 my meadows more or less at all times of year, I always 

 sow a good mixture of English blue-grass (Festuca 

 elatior) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) with it, 

 making alfalfa the base and principal seeding. I am very 

 partial to orchard grass in this mixture because it makes 

 considerable hay, and springs up so quickly after each 

 mowing. In this section orchard grass is a stayer, and 

 will hold its own against all comers. 



*'I alw^ays am cautious when we first turn the cattle on 

 alfalfa, seeing to it that they have a good fill on some- 

 thing else beforehand, and hold them at first on some 

 part of the field where the mixed grasses are the thickest, 

 so they can graze there first. In twenty minutes they will 

 be safe to go where they wish, and may be allowed to 

 run at will thereafter. I find, however, that on the clear 

 alfalfa meadows there is almost no danger from bloat 

 after the plants have begun to bloom. I usually have 

 some hay stacked in the pastures, that the cattle may run 

 to. I have, however, pastured alfalfa in all stages where 

 there would be perhaps twenty acres of alfalfa in one 



