The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-14
Varieties Of Food for Stock.

The majority of farmers are not ia
miliar with the terms now used to clas-
| sify the different qualities of food for
stock, for they do not take kindly to
such expressions as ''albuminoids,
'.carbo-hy ydrates, etc. Yet, after all, the
modes of expression are simple and en-
body nearly all the constituent ele-
ments that enter into foods grown upon
the farm for stock feeding. Some foods
are tat producing, such as corn, while
others promote the development of
muscle, bone and nerves, such as clover.
All foods are classified under appropri-
ate heads, each ranking in proportion
to its nitrogen, carbon and mineral ash.
Thus, in order to arrange together those
foods that are nitrogenous or muscle
producing, the term .'albuminoids" is
employed because the nitrogen is nearly
always in combination in the shape of
albumen. The ''carbo-hydrates,,' or
heat producing substances are those
rich in starch and sugar, and as starch
and sugar both contain large proper
ton of carbon, and also large quantities
of oxygen and hydrogen (water), the
term applied illustrates the value of the
1OOu do NCll dS It's lpOSlllOu uC
base of all the nitrogenous foods is pro
tein. When we know that certain foods
contain ibrin, gelatin, albumenor case
in. which are found in all animal and
vegetable organizations, the fact that
nitrogen is present is made plain, be-
cause that element is necessary in such
substances; and when we understand
that foods contain starch, gum, sugar
and oils, it is apparent that they must
of necessity contain carbon.
In feeding to animals the farmer, by
his knowledge of the difference between
fiesh-forming foods and those that form
fat, is enabled to so combine the differ
ent foods as to provide for all their
wants. Knowing that the 'albuminoidS"
or nitrogenous foods produce muscle
| Clean meat) and milk, in order to allow
for heat and fat he must balance tho
foods for the purpose of avoiding too
much of the one kind and not enough of
the other. On an average the proper
ton of nitrogenous food to the carbon
aceOuS, is as one to six; or rath-
er he should add six times as
much of the carbonaceous as he does
of the nitrogenous. The conditions,
however affect the proportions; for if
an animal is highly exercised, as is the
case with working horses, the nitrogen
may be increased and the carbon di-
minished; but if the weather is very
cold, the proportion of carbonaceous
matter, on the contrary, should be in
creased. BY a knowledge of the COM
position of different foods, the farmer
| -ho foal1 ,,,Ill- ,.-;ll -oo.n1o+n tla
material allowed to his animals accord
ing to its quality and not quantity, as
is frequently the case. In fattening his
animals he will use the 'fat-fOrming
foods, allowing only so much nitroge-
nous matter as may be necessary for
the existence of the animal.
1t is also economical to feed only as
much as may be required. If too much
carbonaceous material be fed to an ami
! imal the excess will be loss, for the
reason that the animal will assimilate
and appropriate only the actual amount
necessary for the purposes re iuired by
| the system; and even when the farmer
feeds liberallyof carbonaceous material
he will starve his animals if they do not
receive nitrogenous food. Hence we
| OItCH tiidl Oll SOIIIc ldtilS W
the stock is literally provided with GER
tain kinds of food that the animals are
not thrifty, the Young ones do not grow,
and the farmer is annoyed at the un-
satisfactory results of what he supposes
| is good management, when the cause
is lack of perhaps only single ele-
ment, which, in connection with less
quantity of the kind of food given,
would produce radical change.
1t is important then. in order to de-
rive the best results from feeding ami
mails, that the farmer thoroughly un-
derstand the quality of the material
used. Its feeding value depends upon
the proportion of those elements best
adapted to the purposes in view, and
unless perfect knowledge of the COM
position of feeding stufs is gained by
the farmer he viii feed at loss and
derive hut little benefit from his stock.
l-,Faraa. Field and Fgresida-