Extension
Date of this Version
1-1951
Document Type
Article
Citation
Ackerson, C.W., Borchers, R.L. and Mussehl, F.E. (1951). The utilization of food elements by growing chicks. XIII. The effect of additions of dehydrated alfalfa meal to high corn chick rations (Research Bulletin: Bulletin of the Agricultural Experiment Station of Nebraska No. 168)
Abstract
Feeding trials were conducted on three groups of chicks in eight lots receiving a growing mash containing dehydrated alfalfa meal at levels of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, and 15 per cent. Comparisons were not made simultaneously but no general trend toward growth depression was evident in comparable lots. In addition duplicate trials of four lots of newly hatched New Hampshire chicks were made on pelleted rations carrying 0, 2, 4, and 6 per cent of a good quality dehydrated alfalfa meal. The chicks were all fed accurately known amounts of the pelleted rations for six weeks. In each of the duplicate trials the lot fed 2 per cent alfalfa meal made slightly better gains than the other lots. The lots fed 4 and 6 per cent alfalfa made as good gains as the control lots fed no alfalfa. It is evident that with the sample of dehydrated alfalfa meal used in these experiments no adverse effect was produced by the alfalfa. Another trial of four lots was made on rations containing 0, 5, 10 and 15 per cent of alfalfa meal. In this case equal gains were made by each of the alfalfa-fed lots and all were better than the control without alfalfa. It is also seen that the efficiency of gain was higher in the alfalfa-fed lots than in the control. Perhaps most interesting of all is the difference in time required to finish equal amounts of feed. Here the advantage is definitely in favor of the alfalfa-fed lots.
Comments
ISSN 0097-1499