234 



PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



clover, crimson clover, Japan clover, velvet bean, peanut, 

 beggar weed, Canadian field pea, cowpea, soybean, and the 

 vetches. The legume hays are distinguished from the grass 

 hays by their high content of protein and ash. They also 

 usually contain more ether extract. On account of their 



relatively high content 

 of protein and mineral 

 matter, they are par- 

 ticularly valuable in 

 stockf ceding. 



Red clover hay is or- 

 dinarily spoken of in 

 the corn-belt as ^' clover 

 hay." It is the stand- 

 ard legume hay crop of 

 the United States and 

 Canada. It is grown 

 extensively in the corn- 

 belt as it fits in well 

 with the ordinary crop 

 rotations. 



The average chemi- 

 cal composition of red 

 clover hay is as fol- 

 lows: water, 15.0 per cent; ash, 7.7 per cent; crude pro- 

 tein, 13.3 per cent ; crude fiber, 24.3 per cent ; nitrogen- 

 free extract, 37.2 per cent ; and fat, 2.5 per cent. Its net 

 energy value is 34.7 therms per 100 pounds. As thecom- 

 l)osition indicates, it is relatively high in muscle-building 

 constitutents. The feeding value of clover hay depends to 

 a large extent upon the time of cutting and the method of 



Fig. 50. — Red clover. (Livingston 

 Crop Production.) 



Field 



