GRASS AND HAY 49 



saving effected by substituting alfalfa for wheat bran is $2.80 for 

 every 100 pounds of butter and nearly 20 cents for every 100 pounds 

 of milk. 



For Beef Cattle. Alfalfa forms probably the best roughage for 

 fattening cattle, as its lack of bulkiness enables the animals to con- 

 sume sufficient quantities for rapid gains. It is also very valuable 

 for young growing stock before the fattening period commences. 



The Utah Agricultural Experiment Station conducted an expe- 

 riment extending over a period of five years to determine the quan- 

 tity of beef produced to the acre from alfalfa hay cut in the differ- 

 ent stages of maturity. It was found that hay cut when in full 

 bloom produced 562 pounds of beef annually to the acre, while that 

 cut in early bloom produced 706 pounds. The hay that was not cut 

 until half the blooms had fallen produced only 490 Bounds of beef 

 to the acre. At the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station 

 2.41 pounds of beef were produced daily on a full ration of corn and 

 alfalfa, while only 1.48 pounds were produced by a ration of corn 

 and prairie hay. 



For Sheep. Alfalfa is an ideal hay for sheep, but is apt to 

 cause bloat if used as pasturage. It is trie custom throughout the 

 mountainous regions of the West to pasture the sheep on the wild 

 grasses in the mountains during the summer and then drive them to 

 the valleys during the winter to be fed on alfalfa hay. As an in- 

 stance of its value for sheep in the East, the experience of the Wing 

 Brothers, in Ohio, may be cited. Spring lambs cost them $6 per 

 hundred pounds when alfalfa was not used in the ration, as com- 

 pared with $2.50 per hundred when alfalfa formed the principal 

 part of their feed. It is the practice in the West to cut alfalfa hay 

 for sheep just as it commences to bloom instead of when one-tenth 

 in bloom, as is customary for dairy cattle, or when one-half to two- 

 thirds in blossom if for horses. 



For Hogs. Alfalfa is fed to hogs for the most part in the green 

 state, either as a soiling crop or as pasture. The hay, however, con- 

 stitutes a maintenance ration for hogs during the winter, and when 

 fed on it sows enter the spring farrowing season in excellent condi- 

 tion. Wherever possible brood sows should secure alfalfa at least 

 during the latter portion of the period of gestation. 



At the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station it has been 

 shown that an acre of alfalfa produced 776 pounds of pork during 

 the season. This calculation was made by deducting the probable 

 gain due to the small ration of grain fed in connection with the pas- 

 turage. In another experiment it was shown that for every bushel 

 of Kafir corn meal and 7.83 pounds of alfalfa hay the hogs made a 

 gain of 10.88 pounds. When the alfalfa was withheld from the 

 ration the gain was only 7.48 pounds for each bushel of grain fed. 



For Horses. Alfalfa may be fed to horses both in the green 

 state and as hay. Numerous instances have been recorded where 

 horses have performed heavy work during the summer season on 

 nothing but green alfalfa. 



Effect on the Land, Alfalfa acts in a manner similar to red 



