The Delta independent., 1921-06-24
ALFALFA AS A FEED STUFF

compromising teStS VI INC CouQdI'
ative yield, composition and digesti-
bility of early, medium and late cut
tings of alfalfa, of first, second and
third crops; the relative feeding val
ue of the different crops, have been
made at the Utah station, details of
which are recorded in the stations
bulletins Nos. 81, "A and 81. These
tests and investigations extended
continuously through period of five
years, and following are the more
important facts developed and the
drawn from them, as summarized
(Bul No. 61) by Profs. Luther Fos-
ter and L. A. Merrill who supervised
the work:
/. The largest amount yield Of
hay per acre is obtained by the
method of early cutting and the low
est by the late, the average result
standing as follows: early cutting
100; medium 92; and late 85.
2. The early cut alfalfa contains
the highest per cent Of protein and
fat, the most valuable food constit-
uets, and the lowest per cent crude
The former decrease constantly
while the latter increases rapidly
from the time the new shoots start
to full maturity of the plant.
3. The proportionate amount Of
leaves to stems is greater at the
time new shoots start than at any
subsequent time, and both leaves
and stems contain a greater per
cent OF protein and less per cent
of crude fiber at this time than at
any later time in the growth of the
plant. The relative proportion of
leaves to stems in the different cut
medium, 40 to 60; and late, 33 to 81.
4. Alfalfa leaves as compared with
| stems are very much richer in pro-
| tein, fat and nitrogen-free extract,
and they contain much smaller
proportion of crude fiber The per
cent of the protein and fat grows
constantly less, and that of crude
| fiber greater. from the time the new
| shoots start to full maturity. The
average composition of all cuttings
| and crops shows the leaves to con-
tain $50 per cent more protein than
the stems, 300 per cent more fat, 35
per cent more nitrogen-free extract,
and 256 per cest less crude fiber.
5. The more important nutrients,
protein and fat, have the highest per
cent of digestibility in the early cut
tings and it grows less and less with
the age of the plant.
g. In the feeding tests, the high
est gains were made from the early
cuttings and the lowest from the
late the result standing proportion
ately as follows: early cutting, 100;
medium, 85; and late, rs.
Z. The variation in the amount OF
the different cuttings eaten per day
was very slight, being the highest
for the early cutting and the lowest
for the late, but the quantity OF dry
matter and also of digestible matter
required for pound Of gain was
decidedly lowest for the early cut
tings and highest for the late, the
relative amounts of dry matter stand
ing as follows: early cutting, 100;
medium, 131; and late, 166.
8. The annual beef product per
acre was largest from the early cut
tings, not only in the general aver
age but in each separate seasons
test, and that from the late cuttings
was smallest, the proportional pro-
ducts standing as follows: early cut
ting, 100; medium, 79 IL; and late
SO 1-2
g. Taking all points Of compari-
son into consideration, both separate
ly and collectively, including every
thing that pertains to the largest
yield and the highest feeding value,
the tests favor cutting alfalfa for
cattle feeding when the first new
shoots appear.
10. The first crop gave the larg-
est yield in each of the five tests and
i'll fourteen out of fifteen cuttings,
while the third crop gave the lowest
fer every test and in every cutting
but one. The average acre yields
for the five years, including all cut
tings, stand in the following relation:
first crop 100; second, 7S; and third
80; for the early cuttings alone, first
crop, 100; second, 83; and third &c.
II. In the average composition OF
all cuttings for three years, the nu-
trients for the three crops vary but
little. The second has slightly the
lowest per cent Of protein and the
highest fiber; and the third the
most fat and nitrogen-free extract.
70. The third crop has the larg-
est proportion Of leaves to stems;
but the per cent Of protein in the
leaves of the first crop contain the
most fat and of the second, the