FEEDING VALUE OF ALFALFA. 



121 



Because of the number of cows involved, it was not practicable to 

 determine the urine output nor the water drunk. On the basis, however, 

 of the volume of milk as well as the total solids yielded, as stated in Table 

 XII, it did not appear in the five weeks' period that the alfalfa exerted 

 any adverse effect. A study of the daily records of individual cows, espe- 

 cially during the transition period from the hay to the alfalfa ration, con- 

 firms this conclusion. In fact, the alfalfa seemed to act as a slight stimulus 

 to production. Whether this was due to the favorable character of the 

 proteins or to other causes is not clear. 



4. The infltience of the increased metabolism caused by the alfalfa on the 

 yield of milk and on live weight. 



Armsby^ has shown that by increasing the metabolism alfalfa is de- 

 cidedly inferior as a source of energy to timothy hay, in the proportion of 

 34.1 to 48.63 therms of net energy per 100 pounds of dry mattter; i.e., a 

 decrease of some 30 per cent.^ Inasmuch as the dry matter in alfalfa and 

 in hay comprised some 71 per cent, of the total dry matter contained in 

 each of the two rations, it would seem as though the influence of the 

 increased metabolism caused by the alfalfa would be noticeable, even 

 though the hay was not what might be classed as timothy. The yields 

 of milk and milk solids fail to show any unfavorable effect of this factor. 

 Only in the case of the live weight (Table XIII) produced does one notice 

 a possible adverse effect of the alfalfa, which might be attributed to its 

 inferior energy value. 



Table XVI. 



Additional Experimental Data. 



Total Rations Consumed by Each Cow (Pounds). 



1 The Nutrition of Farm Animals, pp. 660, 663. 



' Most other hays (mixtures of grasses) are also shown to be quite superior to alfalfa as a source 

 of energy. 

 3 The same amount fed in each half. 



