ALFALFA 'l6l 



working but little. While it induces abundant milk 

 production in brood mares, and induces quick and 

 large growth in colts until matured, it is thought by- 

 some practical horsemen that horses grown chiefly 

 on alfalfa have not the staying power and endurance 

 of those, for instance, that are grazed chiefly on Ken- 

 tucky blue grass and. some other grasses. There is 

 probably some truth in the surmise, and if so, the ob- 

 jection raised could be met by dividing the grazing 

 either through alternating the same with other pas- 

 tures or by growing some other grass or grasses 

 along with the alfalfa. 



The alfalfa furnishes excellent grazing for cattle, 

 whether they are grown as stockers, are kept for 

 milk producing, or are being fattened for beef. For 

 the two purposes first named it has high excellence, 

 and it will also produce good beef, but alfalfa graz- 

 ing alone will not finish animals for the block quite 

 so well withovTt a grain supplement as with one. 

 But the danger is usually present to a greater or 

 less degree that cattle thus grazed may suffer from 

 bloat, induced by eating the green alfalfa. This 

 danger increases with the humidity of the atmos- 

 phere, with the succulence of the alfalfa, and with 

 the degree of the moisture resting on it, as from dew 

 or rain. This explains why in some sections the 

 losses from this source are much greater than in 

 others. It also explains why such losses are greater 

 in some areas than in others. It is considered that 

 grazing alfalfa with cattle in the mountain valleys is 

 less hazardous than in areas East and Southeast, as 

 the atmosphere is less humid, the danger from the 



