FOOD FROM CURED FODDERS 19; 



In feeding sheep and lambs, cowpea hay, though not 

 much used because of the relatively small amount of such 

 feeding done in the South, has high adaptation. Of course, 

 hay produced by the finer growing varieties is more valu- 

 able than what is bulky. What is said about the value 

 of vetch hay for fattening sheep (see p. 198) will apply 

 about equally to cowpea hay. If additional grain were ad- 

 ded, corn, barley, rye and even oats would prove very suit- 

 able. For milk production, cowpea hay cut, say when the 

 plants are in the late stages of bloom, should answer well 

 for ewes nursing lambs. 



For szvine, cowpea hay is not well adapted, owing to 

 the relatively small amount of the vine consumed, except 

 when the crop has been cut at an early stage of growth. But 

 when it has been harvested at maturity and the fodder 

 much injured by rain, it may be in order to feed the loose 

 sheaves or bundles to. swine that will search out and con- 

 sume the peas. 



-For horses. This hay is considerably prized in the 

 South, not only for feeding brood mares, weanling foals 

 and indeed all young horses of the draught types and also 

 of the standard bred classes. Such food adds to the size. 

 For working horses and mules it serves about the same 

 purposes as alfalfa (see p. 195) and answers well for being 

 fed with a grain ration consisting of corn and oats. As 

 with vetch hay, more or less dust is likely to be present. 

 This, of course, is so far objectionable. 



Hay from vetches. Vetches are frequently grown 

 for hay, but more commonly in conjunction with one of the 

 small cereals in order to furnish them the support neces- 

 sary to prevent them from falling on the ground during 

 the later stages of growth. For this purpose rye is some- 

 times sown, but more commonly the cereal of support is 

 wheat or oats. Hay from these is more relished than hay 

 from rye. Vetch hay is thus grown from the winter and 

 spring varieties of the common vetch and also from the 

 sand or hairy vetch. Such hay is grown to a considerable 



