Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1905-12-08
MACHINE FOR CHO PIPING ALFALFA
Value of This Popular Forage Plant
Increased for feeding Purposes.

Some of the large feeding ranches
in California are useing big mach
inc. called hay chopper, for quitting
alfalfa into short bits before 1t is fed
to fattening animals. This machine
cost 800 and will chew up $50 tons
of alfalfa per day at cost OF about
fifteen cents ton for the chopping.
Some growers chop the hay direct
from the windrow while others stack
IL in the regular way and cut 1t as
they need 1t lthrough the feeding
season, The former claim that they
can put hay into stack through the
cutter just as cheaply as the long hay
can be ricked. 1t is an easy matter
to put "a tons of chopped hay in
the space required for one ton OF long
hay and it Is so compact that 1T is
almost impervious to water.
It is very convenient to handle
and it is estimated that it costs fifteen
cents ton less to feed it than long
hay. One would naturally think that
this fine chopped hay would all blow
away or at least would waste badly
when handling it in the wind, but
strange to say, it does not waste like
long hay because it lays so compactly
No difficulty has been experienced
in keeping the hay cut direct from
the field. 1t is very noticeable by
those who have fed both ways that
cattle feed much quieter on the cut
hay. They soon learn that it is all
alike and just as good at one place as
another, and are not continuity cabs
ing bout and fighting each otheraway,
dragging bunch of hay along and
dropping it in the mud as they run.
1t is claimed by those who have tried
it that with cut hay as many horned
cattle can be fed in a given space as
of dehorned ones on long hay.
The leaves and stems are evenly mixed
and the hay partly masticated so that
they can eat it very quietly until they
are full and then they go off and lie
down. It-is no doubt only quest
ion of time in this country when all
the big cattle feeders will chop their
hay and moisten it as we'll. 1t is of
great advantage to moisten a feed
ahead, especially when hay is foul
with foxtail which is becoming the
case in most alfalfa sections. Mr..
Foulk, who has already been mention
ed in these columns, and has bad
, more experience feeding out hay thar
I any one else on the coast. has large
! platform built on runners which
stands alongside the stack for victims
hay. After feeding In the morning
he throws the night feed onto this
platform, turns on the hose and ap'
plies sufficient water to soften III
nicely. After feeding in the evenins
the morning feed is prepared aud left
to soak over night.
1t would certainly make mucl
} better balanced ration If few whea'
, or oat headings could be fed in con
nection with the alfalfa but in man!
cases this is not practicable on &C
count of the inconvenience of gettint
o the cereals as we'll as the high prie
o of them at present. Wheat, oat o
n barley hay or headings run thIoug
j, the cutter with the alfalfa woul
o make splendid feed and put on muc
It more fat than can be done by alfalf
It alone. By dampening the cut alfali
II and putting on five or ten pounds
le day of chopped wheat or barley mo-
IS excellent results could be obtaine
g and high quality of beef produced
5. This would be good way to work O
1T some of the durum wheat for whiC
ID there is no available market and "
Id do not know but that speltz mig
Or notbe utilized in the same way.