140 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



"Alfalfa is much superior to prairie hay when the grain 

 consists of corn alone. It also proved to be a cheaper 

 source of protein than oil meal. The returns on the cattle 

 fed alfalfa hay, were the alfalfa figured at $11.14 P^r 

 ton, would have been as great as the returns on prairie 

 hay at $6 per ton, with corn as the grain ration at 39 

 cents per bushel. In comparison with prairie hay at $6 

 when oil meal worth $28 per ton was a part of the grain 

 ration, the alfalfa returned a value of $8.28 per ton. 

 (In these experiments the cost of all alfalfa hay and all 

 prairie hay was figured at the one price of $6 per ton. — 

 Author. ) 



'^Bright, well-cured corn stover fed with an equal 

 weight of alfalfa, the grain consisting of corn alone, gave 

 slightly larger gains tiian corn and alfalfa, and proved 

 the most economical ration in the experiment. The addi- 

 tion of corn stover may have improved, to some extent, 

 the corn and alfalfa ration by furnishing greater variety, 

 and by its tendency to check scours sometimes caused by 

 alfalfa. The stover fed with alfalfa returned a value of 

 $4.57 per ton in comparison with alfalfa at $6 per ton 

 as the sole roughness. 



"By feeding alfalfa hay, which is a protein-rich rough- 

 ness, extremely palatable and readily masticated, in place 

 of prairie hay with corn alone, 14 per cent less grain was 

 required for each pound of gain on two-year-olds and 2.^ 

 per cent less on yearlings. 



"Alfalfa hay, fed once per day in connection with corn 

 and well-cured cornstalks, furnished sufficient protein for 

 two-year-olds to make the three foods a combination 



