Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1900-05-05
YEAR.

tible protein. MiIlet hay contains IA
! pounds, prairie hay 3-5 pounds, sor-
ghum hay "a pounds, timothy hay 2. g
pounds and red clover hay 6.8 pounds
per hundred weight. With such fig
ures as these before us we begin to
appreciate the statements of conserv-
ative feeders of alfalfa hay, who have
not hesitated to place its feeding
value equal to corn, pound for pound.
"Alfalfa alone is too rich in protein
to form a balanced ration. a we'll
balanced ration may be made of corn
and alfalfa; for instance, feed daily
to dairy COW weighing l 900 pounds
10 pounds of alfalfa hay and u pounds
of corn meal and YOU will be surprised
with the results. For a fattening
steer a good ration for the first feed
ing period is l3 pounds of shelled corn
and Is pounds of alfalfa hay per 900
pounds of live weight. The steer
should receive III pounds of corn and
20 pounds of alfalfa for the second pc
Rod From these figures it is very
easy to calculate how much alfalfa
meadow to SOW in order to have hay
enough to balance a definite quantity
of corn Suppose one expects to raise
and feed 5000 bushels of corn per an
mum to steers. This, shelled, will
weigh 81 tons. Such crop would re-
Quire about 40 tons of alfalfa hay to
balance it.
FEEDING ALFALFA GREEN.
=
use about which the average farmer
usually has so little accurate infor-
nation as alfalfa. | have conversed
with farmers who assert that it is alb
solutely safe to pasture cattle on al
falfa, while their neighbors state that
it is never safe. The expression of
such contradictory views as these
simply illustrates lack of definite
information upon the subject. Alfalfa
fed green. either as pasture or as
soiling crop, has few equals in its
nutritive value. In localities where
there is no difficulty in getting a
stand the cheapest way to feed it is
probably to pasture it. 1t should
never be pastured until the plants
are more than year old. Owing to
their liability to hoven or bIoat it is
sheep upon alfalfa. The skilIful
feeder may reduce the risk by precau-
tionarY measures, but can never elm
mate the danger Before turning
ANIMALS liable to bloat upon the al
falfa give them all they will eat of
some other food. Death from bloat
is often very sudden.
"Horses and hogs may be turned on
alfalfa with no danger from bloating.
There is nothing better for young,
growing colts than alfalfa pasture. 1t
furnishes an ideal pasture for hogs,
but should always be supplemented
by some grain.
FEEDING ALFALFA HAY.
THE digestibility of alfalfa hay is
less by the process of curing
than that of any other forage plant
Dry alfalfa hay in the midst of sum-
mer is about as palatable to the dairy
cow as the finest Kentucky blue grass
The ideal way to feed alfalfa is as
hay. Alfalfa hay possesses the succu-
lent qualities of green grass in June, /
keeping the digestive organs open and I
active; it has a cooling effect upon |
the blood. and cannot be surpassed /
as a feed for cows during calving |
time Fed to dairy cows, alfalfa /
the flow of milk equal to
June grass for nearly the whole year |
1t can be chopped as fine rs wheat /
bran and mixed with corn meal to t
form balanced ration. Such mix /
ture is worth more, pound for pound. I
than the original corn meal. Where /
alfalfa grows to perfection is COW i
heaven, and such land is certain to |
flow with milk and honey if man /
will do his part TO keep these deli |
cious products flowing.
''For stock cattle there is no better
feed than alfalfa hay. Calves will |
eave their grain to pick up alfalfa /
stems and leaves left as refuse in /
The managers of dairy cows.
IF cut Immediately after all the /
blossoms have fallen it makes excel /