Date of Award:

5-1953

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Plants, Soils, and Climate

Department name when degree awarded

Agronomy

Committee Chair(s)

D. W. Pittman

Committee

D. W. Pittman

Committee

D. A. Greenwood

Abstract

Alfalfa is generally regarded as one of the world's most valuable cultivated forage crops. Few crops, if any, are equal to it in capacity to produce heavy yields of highly nutritious, palatable feed. A combination of desirable attributes as a forage plant and adaptation to a wide diversity of soil and climatic conditions has led to the use of alfalfa in the world to an extent probably exceeding that of any other single legume or grass. Alfalfa constantly proves itself as a valuable feed for most types of livestock. This is especially true in the states where a large amount of hay is harvested and stored for the wintering of livestock, and where it is dehydrated, ground and incorporated into poultry rations. As better methods are developed for the harvesting, handling and storage of alfalfa so as to retain maximum nutrient value, its importance will constantly increase. The nutrient value of the hay also may be influenced by the variety of alfalfa grown as shown by Thompson (1949) and the fertility level of the soil as shown by several authors including Barakat (1950), Kashemsri (1952) and Jones (1953). Because of alfalfa's growing importance it is desirable to determine the most economical methods of producing maximum yields of hay with high nutritive value.

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