Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Ryan Albinger" <ryalbinger@earthlink.net>]

It should have been 20-30 gallons per person per day flushing a toilet (4-5
gallons times 5-6 flushes = 20-30 gal/person/day).  And a total of 50-70
gallons of potable water used per person per day average.  Cattle often
drink water that is not by definition, potable/drinkable.

If you have to pump water to raise feed for cattle, that isn't sustainable.
Again along the lines, the right conditions equal the ideal use of the land.

Your statement: "Though alfalfa hay normally isn't fed directly to cattle" 
Any source of this info.  Even anecdotal evidence is justifiable here. 
Here in Wisconsin many farmers buy in high testing hay out of Nebraska and
Colorado as alfalfa hay as well as local hay.  The purpose to feed hay is
the effective fiber it provides the rumen and the rumen requires to achieve
effective rumination, fiber mat, rumen pH stabilization, and deceratinizes
the rumen papillae.  Pellets are unable to achieve these factors
effectively because they lack the 'scratch' factor.  Pellets do offer the
advantage of feed blending and use in some feeding programs.

Why do they use ammonium nitrate on Alfalfa?

Ryan


> [Original Message]
> From: TradingPostPaul <tradingpost@riseup.net>
> To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: 6/19/2006 12:23:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Cattle and water
>
>
> Right, Amanda, five gallons was the old standard. I'd like to see the
> toilet tank that holds 20 -30 gallons - that weight would sink right
> through the floor ;-) 
>
> And an important point: irrigation water for growing cattle feed must be
> counted in the total cost of raising cattle. Though alfalfa hay normally
> isn't fed directly to cattle, it is added for many animals' feed in
various
> processed products like byproduct pellets. 
>
> Here in central NM I can see round fields of that ammonium nitrate green
> from my front deck, and wouldn't you know it, their sprinklers are running
> full blast at high noon in the summer heat.  It's alfalfa. And I have to
> wonder about our acquifer. We're on a well. 
>
> paul, tradingpost@riseup.net