302 Mi.lTUAL OF CATTLE-FEEDIKG. 



but have tlie disadvantage of being ratlier bulky, and of 

 being easily subject to deterioration by meebanical losses. 



CLovi^K AND Oloveb IIay.— What lias been said con- 

 cerning the variable composition of meadow grass and hay 

 applies with equal force to clover and to all coarse fodders. 

 As a general rule, clover is richer in nitrogenous matters 

 than grass, and an admixture of clover with meadow hay 

 usually improves the quality of the latter, while not im- 

 parting to it the bulkiness of pure clover hay. 



As regards its digestibility, it may be said that, com- 

 pared with meadow hay, its protein is about equally 

 digestible, its crude fibre decidedly less digestible, doubt- 

 less owHig to the lignin which it contains (p. 41), and its 

 nitrogen-free extract and fat rather more digestible. As 

 in meadow hay, however, the digestibility is largely in- 

 fluenced by the qnalitv of the fodder, and this again by 

 the same influences which affect that of all coarse fodders. 



Period of Growth. — What has been shown to be true 

 of meadow hay in this respect applies also to clover. The 

 earlier it is cut the more concentrated and digestible a 

 fodder does it yield, while, as it grows older, the crude 

 fibre increases, and it becomes coarse and less easily 

 digestible. 



For example, analyses made in Ilohenheim of clover cut 

 at different times gave the following percentages of pro- 

 tein in the dry matter : 



Cut May 1st 23.3 per cent 



" June 13th 16.6 " 



^' July 20th 11.4 " 



In Mdckern the following results were obtained for pro- 

 tein in the dry substance: 



