The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-08-03
Alfalfa as a Pasture Crop.

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of live stock. but it is not good prac-
tice to pasture the plant too closely. for
its nature Of growth is different from
the grasses, as it grows from terminal
and lateral buds and not by increase
in the length Of stem and blades as
with the grasses. This is very i'm
| portant difference and explains why
the close grazing proves injurious. 1t
| should never be graZed when the
ground is frozen or wet, for the tread
! ing of the crowns will certainly result
| in their destruction under these condi-
| tionS and then the cOmpacting of the
soil is a serious objection in itself. 1t
. should not be grazed closely at any
time, for the gnawing down of the
crowns will often result in their de-
struction. Where alfalfa is pastured
! it should be run over with mower to
even up the growth and preserve 4
uniform condition in the meadow. AL
ternating pasturing with hay making is
| not seriously Objectionable, but alfalfa
Is so valuable for hay. sOiling and
green feed that it is doubtful if it will
o6en be we'll to pasture it in the
Rstern States. where the difficulty o.
Establishing it is very considerable.
There is another objection to the pas
turing of alfalfa found in the fact that
it is very apt to make stock bloat. II
the weather is warm and wet and the
growth rapid, the danger Of bloat is
increased thereby: hence, additional
precautions are necessary under these
circumstances. Stock should never be
| turned on alfalfa when they are hun
cry. They should first be given full
feed and the dew allowed to evap-
crate from the fields before they ara
turned on. Under these conditions
they are not likely to be injured unless
| they are allowed to Craze on mature
or over-succulent alfalfa or that which
has been frosted 1t is mistake to
turn stock on young alfalfa. The plants
should be budding and getting ready
to bloom before grazing commences. II
animals are put on alfalfa when their
| hunger is satiated they will not eat too
much of it and so are not likely to
suffer from bloat. Once they are on
they should not be taken off until they
are taken off permanently. Should
bloat occur it may be cured in one OF
several ways. From pint to quart
Of linseed oil with teaspoonful or
more of turpentine will generally re-
lieve the trouble. The dose should be
in proportion to the size and age of the
animal. In extreme cases the trochar
must be used. 1t is preferable knife,
though some skill is required in using
either one to make the insertion at the
right place.
Alfalfa is particularly valuable as a
pasture for sheep. They seem to do re-
markably we'll on ii and are not as
subject to diseases Of various kinds as
where they Craze more closely to the
ground and thus come in contact with
the various pests to which they are
subject and with which the ground
may be infected. This is n matter Of
Importance. In some sections Of the
West alfalfa is often sown with grass,
particularly Bromus inermis. for pas
ture purposes This is not advisable in
the East. because it is difficult enough
to keep the grass out Of an alfalfa
meadow, whether of desirable or un-
desirable variety. Spring lambs may
be grazed on alfalfa to the greatest
advantage, and if good pasture were
available on every farm in Virginia
it would add immensely to the profits
Of the sheep growers and enable them
to raise larger. thriftier and better
lambs at a much lower cost and with
greater safety. The attempt to make
"hot-house" lambs on rich concentrated
foods is attended with many cases of
acute indigestion, and there is often a
great loss to the feeder and grower
even under the most careful system Of
management. With alfalfa pastures
this could be largely obviated, and
the ewes and lambs maintained at less
expense, for it would not be necessary
to feed more than one-half the amount
Of grain usually fed. The alfalfa
would come on so early in many places
in Virginia that it would insure ideal
pasture for lambs and ewes at the
right season of the year, enabling the
feeders to turn their lambs off earlier
at heavier weights than they secure
at present.
AS pasture for swine. alfalfa is un-
excelled. Young pigs do finely on it,
because it is protein food and well
suited to their needs. The sweet, ten
der herbage is much relished, and If
given a small amount Of grain, they
will grow very fast. In many sections
Of the West they are grown with prac-
ticallS no grain at all, though, Of
course, they are not made fat by this
treatment. Alfalfa will carry sur
prising amount Of pork per acre. it
being claimed from investigation at the
Kansas station that as much as 1000
pounds may be made during single
season and from ten to twenty fair
sized hogs carried on an acre Of land.
For horses, there is nothing better
than alfalfa pasture, though great care
should be taken in getting them accus-
toned to it, as they are more subject to
Jets and Flashes.
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