12 



PART III 



CLOVER HAY VS. ALFALFA HAY AS ROUGHAGE FOR 

 FATTENING LAMBS 



Part III shows a comparison between clover hay and alfalfa 

 hay as roughage for fattening lambs. Both lots of lambs were 

 treated alike in all particulars except that one received clover hay 

 and the other alfalfa hay. The clover hay used was of medium 

 quality but as good as could be secured locally. It was not possible 

 to secure clover hay entirely free from mold but the lambs ate it with 

 relish. The alfalfa hay fed was of excellent quality and well cured. 



TABLE: III. Clover Hay vs. Alfalfa Hay as Roughage for Fattening 

 Lambs, October 28, 1915 to February 5, 1916 



It will be noted that the grain consumption by the lambs was 

 the same in both lots but that the hay consumption was higher when 

 clover hay was fed. The gain made by the lambs, however, was 

 greater in Lot 4 receiving alfalfa hay than in Lot 3 receiving clover 

 hay, the difference being two pounds per lamb in one hundred days. 

 The cost of gains was, therefore, considerably cheaper when alfalfa 

 hay was used than when clover hay was fed, both hay and grain 

 requirements being less with the alfalfa hay in the ration. Each 

 hundred pounds of gain cost $7.87 with corn and alfalfa hay as 

 compared with $8.8 1 with corn and clover hay. The finish on the 

 lambs was also better when alfalfa hay was fed. The lambs fed 

 corn and clover hay returned a profit of $1.02 per head as compared 

 with $1.74 per head when corn and alfalfa hay were fed. This trial 

 does not agree with two previous trials at Purdue on this subject. 

 Former trials have shown more rapid and economical gains by the 

 use of clover hay than alfalfa hay. The difference this year should 

 be attributed principally to the difference in the quality of the hay. 



