142 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



A feeder in Osborne county, Kansas, reported to the 

 author the following: "Began feeding 22 two-year-old 

 steers on February 3rd, averaging 941 pounds in weight. 

 Gave them no feed but alfalfa hay until March 4th. From 

 March 4th until May ist fed all the alfalfa they wanted 

 and 243 bushels of corn chop, when they weighed out 

 at an average gain of 259 pounds each in 86 days, or 

 three pounds per day on a feed of 1 1 bushels of corn chop 

 and plenty of alfalfa hay per steer." 



Western feeders generally claim to be able to put fat 

 cattle on the market from 20 to 30 per cent cheaper with 

 alfalfa as the balance than on corn alone, or with corn 

 and bran or any purchased protein foods. The cheapest 

 beef-making in the West is the raising of calves on 

 alfalfa, and at 20 to 24 months fattening them by a heavy 

 feeding of corn and alfalfa hay for 100 days. Cattle car- 

 ried to 1000 or 1200 pounds on alfalfa, and then finished 

 by strong feeding on corn with alfalfa hay for fifty to 

 sixty days, make beef of a choice quality at a low cost. 



