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 most interesting experiments comprehending tests of the comparative
yield, composition and digestibility of early, medium and late cuttings
of alfalfa, of the first, second and third crops; the relative feeding
value of the various cuttings, and of the different crops, have been
made at the Utah station, details of which are recorded in the station’s
bulletins Nos. 31, 44 and 61. These tests and investigations extended
continuously through a period of five years, and following are the more
important facts developed and the conclusions that may be legitimately
drawn from them, as summarized (Bul. No. 61) by Profs. Luther Foster and
L. A. Merrill who supervised the work:
1. The largest annual yield of hay per acre is obtained by the method of
early cutting and the lowest 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 constituents, and the lowest per cent of
crude fiber, the most indigestible portion. The former decrease
constantly while the latter increases rapidly from early bloom to the
full maturity of the plant.
3. The proportionate amount of leaves to stems is greater at early bloom
that at any subsequent time, and both leaves and stems contain a greater
per cent of protein and a less per cent of crude fiber at this time than
at any later period in the growth of the plant. The relative proportion
of leaves to stems in the different cuttings is as follows: early, 42 to
58; medium, 40 to 60; and late, 33 to 67.
4. Alfalfa leaves as compared with stems are very much richer in
protein, fat and nitrogen-free extract, and they contain a much smaller
proportion of crude fiber. The per cent of the protein and fat grows
constantly less, and that of the crude fiber greater, from the time of
early bloom to maturity. The average composition of all cuttings and
crops shows the leaves to contain 150 per cent more protein than the
stems, 300 per cent more fat, 35 per cent more nitrogen-free extract,
and 256 per cent less crude fiber.
5. The more important nutrients, protein and fat, have the highest per
cent of digestibility in the early cuttings and it grows less and less
with the age of the plant.
6. In the feeding tests, the highest gains were made from the early
cuttings and the lowest from the late, the results standing
proportionately as follows: early cutting, 100; medium, 85; and late,
75.
7. 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 a pound of gain was decidedly lowest for the early
cutting and highest for the late, the relative amounts of dry matter
standing as follows: early cutting, 100; medium, 131; and late, 166.
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