163 'CLOVERS 



succulence can be better controlled by the amount of 

 irrigating water supplied, and because of the infre- 

 quency of the rainfall. Nevertheless, the losses from 

 bloat are sometimes severe in both cattle and sheep 

 in the mountain States, notwithstanding that some 

 seasons large herds are grazed upon alfalfa through 

 the entire season without any loss. 



Cattle grazed upon -alfalfa may be so managed 

 that the extent of this hazard will be very much les- 

 sened, if not entirely obviated, but with large herds 

 some of the precautionary methods now to be sub- 

 mitted may not always be practicable. They should 

 never beturned in to graze upon alfalfa when hungry. 

 Some grazers adopt the plan of leaving them on the 

 grazing continuously when once put in to graze. 

 Others leave them in for a limited time each day at 

 the first, increasing the duration of the pasturing 

 period from day to day. After managing them thus 

 for a week or two, the animals are only removed 

 from the pasture for such purposes as milking. 

 Others, again, feed some alfalfa or other food in the 

 morning before turning them on to alfalfa pastures. 

 Another plan adopted is to graze them on a field of 

 other grazing, located, if possible, beside the alfalfa 

 field, until after the dew has lifted, and then to open 

 the gate into the alfalfa pasture. This is readily 

 practicable with a herd of cows, but not to anything 

 like the same extent with a large herd being grown 

 for beef. 



The danger from bloat in pasturing sheep upon 

 alfalfa is at least as great as in pasturing cattle on 

 the same, and the methods of managing them while 



