The Nutritive Value of Alfalfa Hay. II. Starch and Glucose as Supplements to an all Alfalfa Hay Ration

It has been recognized for a long time that when a hay crop is fed alone it does not produce growth, meat or milk as efficiently, per pound of ingested total digestible nutrients, as when the ration is supplemented with concentrates. Several investigators have reported that a ration composed entirely of alfalfa hay appeared to be deficient in some factor or factors necessary for milk production Graves et al. (13), however, found that the average yearly production of a group of cows was 376 pounds of butterfat on a ration of alfalfa hay alone, which indicated efficient utilization of the total digestible nutrients. These investigators reported also that another group of cows produced 395 and 357 pounds of butterfat per year on alfalfa alone during their first and second lactation periods. Dawson and coworkers (5) found that a group of cows produced 392 pounds of butterfat on alfalfa cut at the initial-bloom stage, 326 pounds on alfalfa cut at the halfbloom stage, and 311 pounds when the alfalfa was cut at full-bloom. According to the results obtained by Willard (36) on an all hay ration, cows increased their milk production when they were changed from poor quality alfalfa to a better quality alfalfa hay. It appears from a review of the literature that occasionally certain alfalfa hays are more efficient than others for milk production when fed alone.