The Book of Alfalfa: History, Cultivation and Merits: Its Uses as a Forage and FertilizerCoburn, F. D. (Foster Dwight)
History
The Book of Alfalfa: History, Cultivation and Merits: Its Uses as a Forage and Fertilizer
Coburn, F. D. (Foster Dwight)
Alfalfa
The greatest objection to pasturing alfalfa is its bloating cattle and
sheep. Hogs and horses do not suffer, although a Texas farmer writes
that he lost some pigs from something similar to bloat that he
attributed to the alfalfa. But this may be considered questionable, as
thousands have regularly pastured hogs and horses on alfalfa with no
symptoms of bloat. From hundreds of inquiries sent out by the experiment
stations, it is determined that over ninety per cent of those who have
pastured cattle or sheep on alfalfa have lost one or more animals by
doing so, yet many report having pastured the same kind of stock on
alfalfa for years, regularly every season, without loss. Careful
investigations have been made with the purpose of finding out why some
have been immune while others suffered. Since, in the cases of loss,
only a small proportion of the animals pastured are affected, it may be
inferred that much depends upon the nature and condition of the
individual animal. Practically every western station has carefully
experimented, following the directions of men who have been free from
loss, yet it has cost each station valuable animals.
Horse stock of all ages find alfalfa pasturage conducive to growth,
fattening, and their general health. If the foliage is short and scant,
horses are severe on the fields used in winter because they are able to
crop close, and not infrequently paw loose dirt away from the plants,
biting off the crowns a fourth or even half inch below the surface of
the ground. It is easy to understand the loss of the bud or growing
point may be detrimental to the growth and usefulness of the plants,
causing many to die, resulting in bare spots later to be overgrown by
noxious weeds and grasses. After the damage is done there remains no
remedy but to plow up the field and reseed, or to disk thoroughly and
then reseed the bare spots. If the field has not deteriorated too much,
the latter is much to be preferred. By diligence and careful treatment,
or prompt action closely following any encroachments upon the life of
the plants, the quality and yield may be maintained and the profits
relatively enhanced. Alfalfa has wonderful recuperative powers, but
continuous nipping of the crowns will do most serious harm and
eventually decrease the yield not a little.
EXPERIENCES WITH CATTLE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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