ALFALFA FOOD PREPARATIONS 1 83 



PROFESSOR COTTRELIj ON AliFAIiFA MEAL 



It is worth while, however, to consider the arguments 

 in favor of grinding alfalfa. Prof. H. M. Cottrell says : 



"Grinding alfalfa increases its digestibility. How 

 much has not been determined. Grinding increases the 

 digestibility of corn and oats as much as 14 per cent, and 

 of wheat 10 per cent. It is probable that there is a greater 

 gain in digestibility from grinding alfalfa, a coarse feed, 

 than there is from grinding grain. 



"When alfalfa is to be fed at a distance from the place 

 where grown it must be baled for shipping. When the 

 bales are opened and scattered in feeding a considerable 

 part of the leaves is wasted. Over 8 per cent of the 

 protein in alfalfa is found in the leaves, and the loss of 

 protein from leaves wasted in feeding baled hay is fre- 

 quently from one- fourth to one-half of the total amount 

 in the original hay. With ground alfalfa there is no 

 waste in feeding either from leaf or stem. Alfalfa 

 ground is in the best condition for shipping and handling 

 cheaply and without waste. 



"Ground alfalfa is not only a good feed itself but when 

 mixed with grain aids in the digestion of the other feeds, 

 enabling the feeder to get more out of his home grown 

 grain. 



"Experiments have not been made to determine the 

 exact value of this diluting effect of alfalfa meal in 

 increasing the feed value of heavy grains. Tests have 

 shown that corn-and-cob meal has the same feeding value 

 as an equal weight of clear corn meal. Practically worth- 

 less ground cobs by their 'lightening up' the heavy corn 

 meal add 20 per cent to the feeding value of the meal 



