The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-27
Philadelphia Record.


The feeding of animals with foods con-
tanning 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 allowed to stock will
derive more satisfactory results than those
who feed as a 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 OBJ
tanned from the feed, whether it be concen-
trated or bulky is classed under the heads of
protein, carbohydrates, fat and ash. Pro-
tein is that substance which is principally
found in lean meat the white of eggs and in
the blood, being heterogeneous, while the car
bo-hydrates include starch, woody fiber
sugar, etc, and derive the name from the
fact that they are composed (no matter in
what form we possess them) of carbon hy-
drogen and oxygen. Fat exists in plants
also, but in small quantities Ash relates to
the mineral substances which supplies the
bones and tissues.
As the matter which appropriated by the
animal is composed Of these four substances
protein, carbohydrates, fat and ash-it is
at once apparent that, in order to feed to the
best advantage, some consideration must be
given the character of the food allowed, and
instead of feeding indscriminately, certain
quantities and proportions must be used.
Many valuable experiments have been made
for the purpose of testing grains and fodders
in order to estimate their value for feeding
and We are gradually arriving at that point
at which the aid of investigations will be
used in order to feed animals according to
age, period of growth and weight of carcass
For instance, by the use of 100 pounds OF
ordinary hay the supply of digestible nuIri-
ment will be a fraction over five pounds
protein, forty-three pounds of carbo-hy-
drates and about a pound of fat. while only
q pound OF protein can be extracted from
the same quantity Of digestible material in
mangoldS, with ten pounds of carbo-hy-
drates and no fat. The difference between
the nutritious matter of hay and mangolGs
at once enables the stoek-breeder to discard
the mangolds altogether or use less guam
tty OF hay and supply the deficiency with
mangolds Any number of substances can
be used, provided they are fed proportion
ately to value, the object being to neither
have an excess nor deficit of any substance
that enters into the composition of the body.
What is given in the shape of bulky mate
rial, such as hay and straw, can also be
found in grains, which possess nutriment
in a more concen trated form. Using wheat
straw as compared with corn, the straw
contains about three pounds of protein to
the one hundred pounds, while corn
contains over ten, 1t is necessary, there
fore, to lessen the supply of straw and
add corn to complete the proportion of pro-
ten; and as the straw contains about 40 per
cent. OF crude fibre, which is almost useless
while corn contains less than per cent the
waste in the system is much less from the
corn. The straw, though containing less fat,
contains a larger amount of ash, and there is
no kind of meterial 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 inn
press on the stock breeder, which is that by
feeding variety of food the animal will
grow faster, fatten more readily, and keep in
healthier condition than by using g. single
article of diet. Although it is not every
farmer who makes it a duty to feed for
nutritive value only, yet they know by ex-
perience that certain foods give certain re-
suits; but the field is still open for more
knowledge in that direction, and every farm
er should avail himself of the privilege of
obtaining it,