160 Western Live-stock Management 



ing rapidly throughout the West. The alfalfa is run 

 through a cutter that chops it up in lengths of about 

 three-fourths of an inch. After being cut, the hay may 

 be fed directj stored in barns, or stacked in the fields. 

 Some feeders make a practice of stacking their hay in 

 the field at haying time and then during the late summer 

 or early fall go into the field with a big chopper and 

 traction engine, chop the hay, and restack it in the field. 

 This chopped hay stacks well and the stacks are said to 

 turn moisture as well as those made from the long hay. 

 Grinding alfalfa is practiced to some extent, but this 

 process requires much more power than chopping and 

 seems to be little improvement. There are many large es- 

 tablishments that make a business of grinding hay, but 

 these firms ship out their product and usually sell it under 

 fancy names to the dairymen and small farmers. 



The chief advantages of chopping are ease of handling 

 and freedom from waste. When long hay is used, it Is 

 always necessary to clean out the stalks and leavings, 

 since the lambs will not eat these until they become very 

 hungry. When the feeder has a considerable amount of 

 stock, sheep, cattle, or horses, this refuse may be fed to 

 advantage, but where he has no outlet for refuse hay, it 

 is a dead loss. With the chopped hay, however, the 

 "entire amount is consumed without waste or loss. An- 

 other advantage is that the grain is mixed with the chopped 

 hay. In this manner lambs that are not used to this 

 grain may be put on full feed in the shortest time and 

 with the least danger. It is not usually claimed that 

 chopping or grinding hay has any great effect on its di- 

 gestibility or feeding value ; that is, the professional lamb- 

 feeders who are handling it on a large scale do not make 

 such claims, although firms grinding it and selling it under 



