ALFALFA HAY 229 
penetrates alfalfa cocks very readily, which injures 
the feeding value and causes mechanical losses. In 
good weather, alfalfa that is cut in the morning 
may be raked in the afternoon of the same day. It 
should not be left long enough to become dry and 
brittle, or many of the leaves will shatter in raking, 
much reducing the value of the hay. 
In experiments at the New Jersey Experiment 
Station, it was shown that alfalfa hay may be 
substituted for the protein feeds generally used, 
without interfering with the health of the ani- 
mals, and at considerable saving in the cost of 
the ration, although the yield of milk was not 
quite so high. In other experiments, when cow- 
pea silage and alfalfa hay were used as the 
source of roughage as well as for the protein, 
and corn meal used to supply the carbohydrates, 
the yield of milk was greater and the cost per 
quart much lower than from the regular barn 
ration, in which the source of protein was such 
feed products as dried brewers’ grains and wheat 
bran. In other words, it has been demonstrated 
that it is quite possible, with the judicious use 
of such leguminous crops as alfalfa and cowpeas, 
to produce all the needed nutrients on the farm, 
thus saving expensive feed bills and at the same 
time enriching the soil in nitrogen. It is impor- 
tant that dairy farmers should grow, if possible, 
a few acres of alfalfa to supply part of the green 
