The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-27
The Feeding Value of Foods.

IIlG lC6UluS VI dll1llld1O viii 1OOUo
containing the proper proportions of
substances necessary to promote
growth or fat is a very important
branch of knowledge, and those who
fully understand how to procure the
largest supply of available matter
from the several kinds of feed al
lowed to stock will derive more salts
factory results than those whD feed as
routine, without having any special
purpose to accomplish by so doing.
Although animals are not confined to
any particular diet exclusively, where
they can be allowed variety, yet all
that can be obtained from the feed,
whether it be concentrated or bulky,
is clas8ed under the heads of
protein, carbohydrates, fat and ash.
Protein is that substance which is
principally found in lean meat, the
white of eggs and in the blood, being
heterogeneous, while the carbohydrates
include starch, woody fiber, sugar,
ETC., and derive the name from the
fact that they are composed (no mat
ter in what form we possess them) of
carbon-hydrogen and oxygen. Fat
exists in plants, also, but in small
quantities. Ash relates to mineral
substances, which supplies the bones
and tissues.
As the matter which is appropri-
ated by the animal is composed of these
four substances protein, carbo-hy-
drates, fat and ash-it is at once ap-
parent that, in order to feed to the
best advantage, some consideration
must be given the character of the
food allowed, and, instead of feeding
indiscriminately, certain quantities
and proportions must be used. Many
valuable experiments have been made
far the purpose of testing grain fod-
ders, in order to estimate their value
sor feeding, and we are gradually ar
irving to that point at which the
aid Of investigators will be used in
order to feed animals accord
ing to age, period of growth AMI
weight of carcass. For instance, by
the use of 100 pounds of ordinary hay
the supply of digestible nutrlment
will be a fraction over five pounds Of
portein, forty-three pounds of carbo-
hydrates and about pound of fat,
while only pound of portein can be
extracted from the same quantity of
digestible material in mangoldS, with
ten pounds of carbohydrates and no
fat. The difference between the nu-
tritious matter of hay and mangolds
at once enables the stock-breeder to
discard the mangolds altogether or
use less quantity of hay and supply
the deficiency with mangolds. Any
number of substances can be used,
provided they are fed proportionately
to value, the object being to
neither have an excess nor de-
felt of any substance that enters into
the composition of the body.
What is given in the shape of bulky
material, such as hay and straw, can
also be found in grains, which possess
nutriment in more concentrated
form. Using wheat straw as COM
pared with corn, the straw contains
about three pounds of protein to the
100 pounds, while corn contains over
ten. 1t is necessary, therefore, to
lessen the supply of straw and add
corn to complete the proportion of
protein; and as the straw contains
about 40 per cent of crude fiber, which
is almost useless, while corn contains
less than 2 per cent, the waste in the
system is much less from the corn.
The straw, though containing less fat,
contains larger amount of ash, and
there is no kind of material used that
is deficient in one direction but what
is overabundant in other respects.
BY directing attention to the study
of food composition there is another
object to impress on the stock feeder,
which is that by feeding variety of
food the animal will grow faster, fat
ten more readily, and keep in a
healthier condition than nv uSiDo q
single article of diet. Although it is
not every farmer who makes it duty
to feed for nutritive value only, yet
they know by experience that certain
foods give certain results; but the
field is still open for more knowledge
in that direction, and every farmer
should avail himself of the privilege
of obtaining it.