38 CLASSES OF FEEDING STUFFS 



Alfalfa. — Alfalfa flourishes in the semiarid regions of 

 the West. It is the best of hay crops. The leaves which 

 carry most of the protein are the most valuable portions of 

 the plant. 



In regions where alfalfa flourishes it makes the best of 

 pastures. In some of the Western States large yields of 

 milk are secured from cows running upon alfalfa pasture. 

 Steers, hogs, sheep, and horses are also fattened on alfalfa 

 pasture only. In the Middle West and the Mississippi 

 Valley, however, it is not advisable to pasture this crop 

 when the ground is soft, as the feet of the animals cut the 

 crowns and thus seriously damage the plants. There is 

 special danger, if sheep or cattle are turned on to alfalfa 

 fields wet with rain or dew, from bloat, or hoven, that is 

 likely to follow. 



In making the hay, great care should be taken to save 

 the leaves, which break off very easily. 



Alfalfa can be ensiled with fairly good results. It should 

 be considered as a hay crop, however, and ensiled only 

 when wet weather prevents making it into hay. Alfalfa 

 silage has a much stronger smell than corn silage and un- 

 less it is cut into short lengths it is hard to remove from 

 the silo. 



For the dairy cow there is no hay so good as alfalfa. It 

 is the best source of home-grown protein, and furnishes, 

 in the cheapest form, the constituents so necessary to milk 

 production. For steer feeding, it is the best roughage to 

 feed with corn, since it balances the ration by suppl)dng 

 the protein and mineral matter in which corn is deficient. 

 Fed alone to steers it fattens them well. For calves, it is 

 the best roughage, because it supplies the crude fiber neces- 

 sary to proper development of the paunch of the calf, and 



