194 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



claimed and probably with truth, that working horses fed 

 on it are liable to sweat more than horses fed timothy or na- 

 tive hay. Nevertheless, it furnishes fodder quite suitable for 

 foals and brood mares when it is of good quality. The pre- 

 judice to feeding well made hay composed of timothy with 

 a goodly sprinkling of clover in it, is not well founded, as 

 the clover really adds to the feeding value of the hay. 



Alfalfa hay is the principal reliance for hay in all the 

 mountain states of the West. In the states of the Central 

 West, between the Mississippi and the semi-arid region, it 

 is also extensively grown for fodder, and in sections of va- 

 rious other states, its growth is extending more or less rap- 

 idly. As hay it is usually fed in the uncut form, but when 

 run through a cutting box and mixed with cut straw, it in- 

 sures a much larger consumption of the latter. Recently a 

 preparation has been made from it known as alfalmo which 

 consists of alfalfa hay, fine in character, cut early, cured in 

 good form and ground more or less finely. It is sometimes 

 fed to young calves when started on fodder. The value of 

 alfalfa hay is largely dependent on the stage of growth at 

 which it is cut, and on the nature of the curing. Alfalfa 

 cut, when, say one-fifth of the blossoms have appeared and 

 cured without loss of leaves or exposure to rain, may be 

 fully 50 per cent more valuable than alfalfa cured under 

 opposite conditions. When the conditions of growing and 

 curing are correct, alfalfa is somewhat more valuable as a 

 fodder than the clovers but if the stems have become woody 

 before it is cut, and if in addition many of the leaves are 

 lost in the curing, its feeding value may be much less than 

 that of well made clover hay. 



For cattle, alfalfa hay properly made is unexcelled. 

 Cattle are very fond of this fodder. It is easily masticated 

 and digested, is fed with but little waste, and is very rich in 

 protein. Hay made from it, of thick growth and cut early, 

 makes unexcelled fodder for calves. Young cattle will 

 come through the winter in good form on alfalfa alone, and 

 will also make a good growth. It has special adaptation 



