Show making alfalfa hay chay without loosing losing food unless farmer saves leaves leave cow Is bik big loser by J C NISBET esteri slon Dat dairyman kansas state agricultural college the ends sought in making alfalfa hay bay or are to secure bright greci color good aroma re retention fention of the leaves and freedom from dust dirt and rain forty three iree per cent of the alfalfa plant Is contained ln in the leaves two thirds of the entire plant food content of the hay Is contained in this 43 per cen cent t this fact immediately puts the 41 alfalfa grower face to face ace with the tha prop proposition position that ahat unless he gets the leaves to therow the cow henc he Is losing considerable food value experiments Experiment i have proven that when alfalfa hay Is exposed to rain it loses CO 60 per cent of the crude protein 41 per cent of the nitrogen free extract and 33 per cent of the fat the total loss amounts to 81 31 per cent of the total dry matter of tile the plant the actual damage Is even greater for the nutrients lost are the most soluble jand and hence the most digestible martof part of the food elements early cut hay contains a higher percentage of protein but the early cutting I 1 nick may impair future stands time of cutting deserves much planning so as to get good quality of hay aft well as maintain a good stand |