THE FEEDING PROBLEM 47 



In this article we give the scientific side, the analysis of three 

 kinds of beans, and also the practical use of them by three different 

 poultry breeders. This will answer several other inquiries on the 

 subject, and we hope prove useful to many of our readers. 



Feeding Alfalfa 



Alfalfa is one of the most valuable of green foods for both cat- 

 tle and poultry. I have found by my own experience that what ir, 

 good for the milch cow is good for the laying hen. You know the 

 Holstein does best on a large amount of succulent food, while the 

 smaller Jersey is adapted to a more concentrated diet; so with the 

 different breeds of hens, the Leghorn needs a wider ration than 

 the Plymouth Rock, the ration that would bring the largest amount 

 of eggs from the Leghorn would so fatten the Rock that it might 

 prevent her laying. 



Where alfalfa is abundant the following ration will give good 

 results. Alfalfa hay or meal when good is rich in protein and re- 

 sembles wheat bran in analysis. In the last analysis of alfalfa hay 

 or meal Professor Jaffa gives protein 12.3, carbo-hydrates 37.1, fat 

 1.6; while wheat bran has protein 12.62, carbo-hydrates 38.88, fat 

 2.5. By this you see that whilst the protein content of alfalfa 

 meal is almost the same as wheat bran, the fat, sugar and starch is 

 decidedly lower, also the crude fiber, which is indigestible, in alfalfa 

 meal is 22.63 per cent, whilst in bran it is only 8.60 per cent, to coun- 

 terbalance this we can use more corn meal or some linseed meal. 

 While alfalfa is rich in protein, it has been found by experi- 

 ment that the fowls need animal protein, as substitute for bugs and 

 worms, so to the ration must be added animal food in some shape, 

 usually beef scrap,, meat meal or milk. Cottage cheese is one of 

 the best animal proteins. 



The following ration will prove satisfactory: Alfalfa meal, 50 

 lbs. ; corn meal, 20 lbs. ; barley meal, 10 lbs. ; beef scrap, 10 lbs. ; 

 coarse bone meal, 10 lbs. 



I gave my Indian runner ducks a similar ration : 30 lbs. alfalfa 

 meal, 30 lbs. heavy bran, 30 lbs. corn rrieal, 10 lbs. beef scrap; giv- 

 ing at the same time all the crushed clam shells they would eat. 

 On this ration ducks averaged 233 eggs each per year, and kept in 

 perfect health. 



I wrote to Mr. Hammonds, who is manager of the largest 

 broiler plant in the country and an expert poultryman, a graduate 

 of Cornell, and asked about a pullet that he was bringing up on 

 nothing but alfalfa and milk. His answer is as follows : 



"The pullet you refer to laid 253 eggs from August 7, 1910, to 

 August 7, 1911, and she gained one and a quarter pounds in weight. 

 All of her eggs, except the first six, weighed two ounces or more 

 and were of good shape and shell. She was fed from the time she 

 was two months old until she was five months old and showed 

 signs of laying on alfalfa meal moistened with milk, and rolled 

 barley as grain. From the time she was five months old till the 

 test was finished she was fed a dry mash composed of the follow- 



