338 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



be picked out by the birds, while the remainder of the mash 

 is wasted. 



Alfalfa Meal. — During the last few years finely ground 

 alfalfa hay has appeared on the market as alfalfa meal, and 

 if of good quality is a good substitute for wheat .bran, as it 

 is high in protein, ash, and fat. In buying this feed, however, 

 the guaranteed analysis should be carefully considered and 

 a careful examination should be made as to the crude fiber 

 content. A large proportion of fiber would indicate that the 

 meal was ground chiefly from stalks, which are of little feed- 

 ing value, rather than the leaves, which contain most of the 

 nutrients. 



Other alfalfa feeds, known as chopped and shredded alfalfa, 

 are more easily examined and less liable to be of a poor grade 

 because of their coarser condition than alfalfa meal. Al- 

 though alfalfa feed contains a large percentage of nitrogen 

 compounds, it must be remembered that they are made from 

 alfalfa hay and not concentrates, and therefore should not 

 be fed to excess because of their high crude fiber content and 

 low availability. They may be used with good results up 

 to 20 per cent, of the mash portion of the ration, provided no 

 bran is used. The total amount of bran or alfalfa meal 

 should not exceed 25 per cent, of the mash at any time. 



Alfalfa meal has the same composition as does the best 

 quality of alfalfa hay. In protein content it is ahead of that 

 reported for bran or middlings, but the total food value of 

 the latter is greater because they contain comparatively little 

 fiber (average 5 per cent.) as compared with alfalfa meal 

 (over 26 per cent.). 



The average amounts of the nutrients found in 100 pounds 

 of alfalfa meal are 8.8 pounds of water, 9 pounds of ash, 

 14.3 pounds of crude protein, 65.9 pounds of carbohydrates, 

 of which 30.1 pounds are crude fiber, and 2 pounds are fat. 

 The amounts digestible for chickens are not known. 



Barley {Ground). — "Barley meal, or ground barley, is an 

 excellent material to use in a mash, but great care must be 

 taken in preparing it. It is necessary either to have the entire 

 grain evenly ground or sift it before using, or the hulls cause 

 trouble in the chicken's crop, especially when dry mash is 



