Show ra TO L I 1 ALFALFA HAY IS GOOD FOR HORSES fed with corn it makes a well balanced ration alfalfa hay can safely be fed either as the sole roughage for horses or to replace half or more of timothy or prairie hays accordi according ng to A 0 of the new york state college of aarl agriculture experiments have shown that horses at hard work and fed alfalfa ahny as thestle the sole roughage maintained their weight on 20 to 22 per cent less grain than others fed timothy hay bay alfalfa makes a well balanced ration when fed with corn alone timothy hay ray may not be fed with corn alone as this ration ts Is low in protein and needs a supplement lei nent to balance it alth grains other than corn hsuch such as oats i barley peas and bran which in themselves contain considerable protein alfalfa should not be used as the sole roughage under such clr cir cum stances lower the amount of alfalfa fed use for example half alfalfa and half timothy for horses the first cutting of ni alfalfa Is more beneficial than the second and third cuttings second and third cuttings are preferable for dairy cattle because the stems are not as coarse and there Is a larger prop proportion of leaf area for horses however the first cutting is better as it la Is not washy and Is coarser its it Is common ly advised to cut alfalfa ifalia when alien one third in bloom and this la Is highly desirable for the dairy cow alfalfa Is better as a feed for horses however it if it Is cui cubat tit a later stage when almost mature no better roughage liage exists for growing colts than alfalfa hay the high protein and lime content of this hay Is just what the growing animal needs to belld build firm muscle and dense bone |