184 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



Alfalfa for soilage. — Alfalfa is one of the most valuable of all soil- 

 ing crops, owing to the large yields and to the fact that under proper 

 management it will furnish rich succulence thruout the entire summer. 

 Much more forage, even twice as much in some cases, is secured from 

 a given acreage as soilage than when it is pastured. In certain hot 

 irrigated sections of the West where no grasses make satisfactory 

 summer pasture dairy cows are often maintained chiefly on alfalfa 

 soilage during much of the year. Whether it is profitable to feed 

 alfalfa as soilage rather than to pasture it will depend on the relative 

 cost of land and labor. 



Alfalfa silage.— In some instances alfalfa is ensiled with success, 

 tho often a poor, vile-smelling silage is produced. The difficulty seems 

 due to the high protein content of the crop compared with the small 

 amount of sugars, from which the acids necessary to preserve the silage 

 are formed. Owing to the palatability of good alfalfa hay, there is 

 little reason for ensiling the crop, except when it cannot be cured in a 

 satisfactory manner. Alfalfa should be ensiled as soon after mowing 

 as possible and cut into short lengths so that it may be well packed. 

 When it is impossible to avoid partial curing, it should be ensiled 

 with the dew on or water should be added. Better silage is made when 

 alfalfa is ensiled along with crops rich in sugars, such as rye or wheat 

 cut when just past the milk stage, or green corn or sorghum. 



Alfalfa meal and feed. — The manufacture of alfalfa meal (ground 

 alfalfa hay) and various feeds containing more or less of this material 

 has increased rapidly of late. For animals having good teeth and 

 time to chew their food, grinding hay does not increase its digestibility 

 or feeding value. For such animals the only advantages of the meal 

 are that it may be easier to transport and there is somewhat less waste 

 in feeding it. The bulky meal is also helpful in diluting heavy con- 

 centrates, which might cause digestive troubles if carelessly fed. Hay 

 can, however, be readily chopped sufficiently fine for this purpose on 

 the farm by merely running it thru a silage cutter. Unless good 

 alfalfa meal sells at an appreciably lower price than wheat bran, its 

 purchase cannot be recommended, for its feeding value is lower. 

 Ordinarily, the stockman can produce roughage cheaper on his farm 

 than he can buy it in feed sacks. Often one cannot tell by its appear- 

 ance whether the meal has been made from nutritious, early-cut hay 

 or from over-ripe, stemmy material. It should therefore be bought 

 on a guarantee of composition, and the fiber content should not be over 

 about 30 per ct. 



Molasses, either beet or cane, is frequently mixed with alfalfa meal, 

 the product being sold as "alfalmo" or under other names. The mix- 

 ture is well-liked by stock, but its economy as a feed must be deter- 



