Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-07-15

universally recognized as being very
high 1t has the value for dairy COWS
as well as for fattening purposes. 1t
trail states as hog feed, although on
ly the last cuttings are generally used
for this purpose, as the early cuttings
of alfalfa are too stemmy and coarse
for hogs. In many sections, also, al
falfa hay is one of the staple forms of
loughness for horse feeding. In the
the farms and ranches the work hors-
es receive alfalfa hay regularly, some
of them getting no other ration than
alfalfa hay and grain Formerly ii
was thought that alfalfa could not
be feed to the horses because of the
fact that it stimulated the action of
the kidneys, causing an excessive Sc
erection of urine. This is true, but can
be largely overcome by feeding only
early cuttings, preferably the first
and allowing it to get rather ripe be-
fore cutting, more so than when it is
intended for cows.
Another important point is to see
that the horses are not given too
much. 1t is very common thing for
a farmer to feed his horses all the
hay they will eat, and if the alfalfa
is used the horses will consume more
than any of other hays because of
the palatable nature of such hay.
While alfalfa is not recommended
for driving horses, it can be fed in
combination with other hays or even
alone, but in this case more care is
necessary than where it is fed to
draft horses. In comparison with 9TH
er feeds alfalfa is very valuable
more so than the average hay crop,
because of its larger nitrogen con-
| tent.
In all of our feeding operations we
have found that it is necessary to
use a considerable amount of protein
foods, especially in the feeding of the
dairy COW. Where this protein or
heterogeneous food must be purchased
in commercial forms, as mill feeds, oil
meal, or gluten feeds it is usually ex-
! pensive, and if we can produce it
upon the farm it will lessen our feed
bills. Feeding tests of alfalfa in com
| parison with bran and shorts for the
production of milk have shown that
alfalfa at $12 or $13 a ton is as
cheap as mill feeds at $40 Many 9TH
er tests have been made, and in all
cases alfalfa has given very satisfac-
tory results and has proven itself
most excellent feed for this purpose.
In using alfalfa or clover for feed
| ing hay the stockman must bear in
mind that all of these are rich in
nitrogen or protein substances, and
consequently to obtain the most sat
| isfactory results from their use, they
should be combined with other feed
stuffs which are rich in starches.
For instance if the farmer is feeding
alfalfa meal and peas to his hogs he
! is furnishing them a ration which is
very rich in protein. Now if he can
obtain barley at a reasonable price
he will ordinarily get larger gains by
adding a portion of barley to the
peas and alfalfa, as this combination
will more nearly meet the require
ments of the animal than will the
peas and alfalfa alone. In the same
way alfalfa hay fed in connection
with hay made from orchard grass
or oat grass is better for the horses
than a ration of alfalfa alone, al
though if the alfalfa be properly
cut and cured there can be no in
furious effects from feeding the
straight alfalfa ration.
The time of cutting any crop of
hay is of course governed by the
amount of food value which the crop
will contain at any given time. The
deposition of nutritive substances of
course takes place late in the life of
the plant, after the plant structures
are built. Therefore, if the crop is
cut too early it is worth much less
for feeding purposes than if allowed
to become more nearly mature On
the other hand if the crop is cut too
ripe the amount Of fibre or woody
substance is very much increased,
the stock will not relish it as well
and will not consume nearly as much
of the hay.
Bronze grass has been very widely
! recommended for use in dry sections
and has usually proven satisfactory,
but where the other grasses can be
successfully grown they are consid-
cred preferable for the reason that
the bronze is apt to become sod
bound in the course of two or three
years and after that it will not pro-
/ ;rf, L,