The effect of feeding alfalfa straw sprayed with a curing agent to heifer calves.

Abstract

Ten good quality Hereford heifer calves were divided into two lots of five calves each fur use in this test. They were the lightest heifers of 80 head purchased from the Brite Ranch at Marfa, Texas. They were fed prairie hay and 1 pound of soybean pellets per head daily until started on test December 22, 1952. The alfalfa straw used in the test was obtained in the vicinity of the college. The sprayed straw came from Dr. N. D. Harwood and was produced on a farm a few miles west of Manhattan, Kansas. It was stemmy but had a good green color. The non-sprayed straw was obtained from Mr. Floyd Cederberg's farm a few miles south of Manhattan, Kansas. It was not as stemmy or as green in color as the Harwood straw. It appeared to have more leaves. The two straws were not comparable in some respects but it was not possible to find more suitable straw, sprayed and non-sprayed. Other data, such as effect of the chemical on the alimentary tract, various organs, tissue, and the extent of its presence in the animal body, will be collected when the animals are slaughtered.