Pasturing
Category:
ALFALFA
Because of the bitter aromatic principle which it
contains, known as commarin, stock dislike it, especially at the first.
And it is questionable if they can be educated to like it in areas where
other food, which is more palatable, grows abundantly. In an experiment
directed by the author at the Minnesota University Experiment Station,
sheep pastured upon it, and did not take kindly to it; but by turning
them in to graze upon it in the morning, they cropped it down. In
localities where good grazing is not plentiful, if live stock have
access to it, especially when the plants are young, they will so crop it
down that in a few years it will entirely disappear. But where other
pastures are abundant, it will continue to grow indefinitely. It would
not seem wise to sow it for the purpose of providing grazing, unless
where the conditions for growing other and better grazing are
unfavorable.
Some have spoken favorably of sweet clover for soiling uses. It makes a
very rapid growth quite early in the season, and when cut and wilted
more or less before being fed, the palatability is thereby considerably
increased. Small plots of this plant near the outbuildings may in this
way be utilized with some advantage in the absence of better soiling
plants.
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Harvesting For HayPrevious:
Preparing The Soil
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