PASTURING AND SOILING IO9 



DANGERS TO CATTLE AND SHEEP 



The greatest objection to pasturing alfalfa is its bloat- 

 ing cattle and sheep. Hogs and horses do not suffer, 

 although a Texas farmer writes that he lost some pigs 

 from something similar to bloat that he attributed to the 

 alfalfa. But this may be considered questionable, as thou- 

 sands have regularly pastured hogs and horses on alfalfa 

 with no symptoms of bloat. From hundreds of inquiries 

 sent out by the experiment stations, it is determined that 

 over ninety per cent of those who have pastured cattle or 

 sheep on alfalfa have lost one or more animals by doing 

 so, yet many report having pastured the same kind of 

 stock on alfalfa for years, regularly every season, with- 

 out loss. Careful investigations have been made with 

 the purpose of finding out why some have been immune 

 while others suffered. Since, in the cases of loss, only a 

 small proportion of the animals pastured are affected, it 

 may be inferred that much depends upon the nature and 

 condition of the individual animal. Pcactically every 

 western station has carefully experimented, following 

 the directions of men who have been free from loss, yet 

 it has cost each station valuable animals. 



Horse stock of all ages find alfalfa pasturage con- 

 ducive to growth, fattening, and their general health. 

 If the foliage is short and scant, horses are severe on the 

 fields used in winter because they are able to crop 

 close, and not infrequently paw loose dirt away from 

 the plants, biting off the crowns a fourth or even half 

 inch below the surface of the ground. It is easy to under- 

 stand the loss of the bud or growing point may be 

 detrimental to the growth and usefulness of the plants, 



