OCR Text |
Show ALFALFA AD BROOD MARES Hay Has Great Field of Usefulness in Feeding All Classes of Live Stock Grain Needed. Alfalfa hay has a very great field or usefulness In feeding all classes of live stock under western conditions. It cannot be safely fed to brood mares, however, in unlimited quantities. From some sections of the irrigated irrigat-ed belt have come reports of a large percentage of colts born dead or weak and deformed. In some cases an over used p.nd defective stallion is undoubtedly undoubt-edly responsible. In nlany cases, however, how-ever, when colts are lost in the manner man-ner before mentioned, the farmers are feeding alfalfa hay and alfalfa alone to their mares. It should not be so fed. For best results with the brood mare some grain should be fed in addition, ad-dition, to the hay. In ease it is desired desir-ed to feed a large amount of hay as compared with the grain, the hay ration ra-tion will be improved and made safer by combining wild hay, timothy, or even oat or wheat straw with the alfalfa. al-falfa. In no event should a brood mare weighing 1,200 to 1.500 pounds be fed more than 15 or 16 pounds of alfalfa daily. A sole ration of alfalfa hay contains a much larger proportion of nitrogen than the in-foal mare needs or can use. The surplus must be eliminated as a waste and this condition lays an extra burden on the digestive tract and on the organs of elimination. Especially heavy is the labor placed on the kidneys. There are probably many cases where large quantities of alfalfa hava been fed to brood mares without apparent ap-parent injurious effects. There Is unquestionable un-questionable danger of abortion and weak and defective colts from such practice. The farmer and horse breeder will be wise to plsjy safe and substitute grain or other hays In place of a portion of the alfalfa. |