ALFALFA AND THE DAIRY 1 49 



may be assigned to the fact that the cattle were unable to 

 consume a sufficient quantity of the mixture to produce 

 the same results as the alfalfa alone. These dairymen 

 find they can secure a larger milk yield by feeding a little 

 grain; but the increased yield does not pay for the grain, 

 which is high priced in this locality." 



AN ESSENTIAIi IN MWK FKODUCTION. 



Oscar Erf, dairy husbandman at the Kansas experiment 

 station, writing for this volume, says: "Alfalfa is quite 

 indispensable in successful dairy operations, being one of 

 the cheapest sources of protein, that most essential com- 

 pound in feeds for milk production. The Kansas station 

 found that for milk i>^ pounds of well-leaved alfalfa hay, 

 containing a high per cent of protein, is equal in feeding 

 value to a pound of bran. In case the alfalfa is of a 

 stemmy nature it requires i}i pounds to equal the feeding 

 value of a pound of bran. Alfalfa hay is worth from $4 

 to $7 per ton on the farm, while bran costs from $14 to 

 $20 per ton, hence it is far more economical to feed the 

 alfalfa hay. 



"Like other hays alfalfa varies in composition accord- 

 ing to the time of cutting, the soil on which it grows, and 

 its per cent of leaves. It has been found that three-fourths 

 of a pound of alfalfa hay is equal in feeding value to a 

 pound of clover hay of equal brightness and quality, A 

 good stand of clover yields about 2}i tons per acre per 

 year, while a good stand of alfalfa yields about 5 tons 

 per acre per year. Hence, on an acre of land, 1 100 pounds 

 of protein can be produced by raising alfalfa while only 

 340 pounds can be produced by growing clover, the pro- 



