Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-02-18
COMPLETE FOODS
The Necessity of a Clear knowledge of the
Principles of Feeding.


The Necessity of Clear knowledge of the
Principles of Feeding.
It is evident that the feeding of the
various crops grown for fodder, with
the grains and other feeding substances
used for the production of milk and
butter, or for fattening animals may be
made more or less profitable, as the
practice is more or less judicious, skill
full and correct The agricultural chem
list has explained many of the problems
in regard to the composition of foods,
their digestibility and their reaction
upon each other in the process of diges-
ton, and has enabled the stock feeder
to use, with the greatest economy, all
the various substances grown or pur-
chased for the purpose of feeding ami
mails. The knowledge thus acquired
makes it possible to use the rougher
kinds of fodder, with the concentrated
waste products which may be mixed
waste and make them equal in value to
the more costly farm products.
The science of feeding has been re-
every farmer should make it his business
to study and conform his practice to it.
The gradual change which has occurred
in farm practice, and which is still in
progress, enforces this in the most per-
emptory manner upon every farmer, for
the feeding of stock is Indispensable to
the successful management of a farm. 1t
is needless to discuss this point, because
it is plainly apparent. The point to be
discussed is how to feed the stock in the
most economical manner by adapting
the practice to the present knowledge
gained through the labors of the patient
and careful investigators who have re-
duced to rule the results of very sys-
tematic course of practical experiments.
Animal food is composed of three prin-
cipal elements, viz: protein, or al
buminoid substances; carbohydrates, or
starchy matter, including fat, and min
eral matter, as potash, lime, soda, phos-
phoric acid and some others of less i'm
portance. Each of these has its special
use in the animal economy. The
protein forms the heterogeneous mat
tiers found in flesh, the carbo-
hydrates form the fat and the car
bon which is consumed in the susie
nance of animal heat, and the mineral
matter furnishes the materials of which
the bony frame is built up, and a por-
ton of the brain matter, with the re-
nader of the nervous system and the
mineral substance of the flesh.
1t is clear that all these elements
must be provided for in the food; also,
that certain quantity is required in
precise proportions to the needs of the
animal system, and that any surplus
must be elected from the digestive
organs as waste, for if it is retained it
disturbs the healthful balance in the
system and produces disease. If, for
instance, food too rich in protein is
given to an animal the excess of these
elements are wasted and must be dis
posed of as waste matter. This waste
matter mostly passes off through the
kidneys in the urine with the excess
of mineral matter, and thus these Or
gans are seriously overworked and
thrown into disorder, or the waste is
retained in the blood, producing dis
turbance and disease in the very foun-
tain of life.
If, on the other hand, an excess of
carbohydrates is given similar dis
turbance of the system is caused, lead
ing to similar disastrous results, the
least of which is total waste of a large
portion of the food. In practice it has
been found that the proper ratio or pro-
portionate amount of these two kinds of
aliment should be one of protein, or al
buminoid matters, to five of carbo-
hydrates; the fat in the food being esti-
mated as worth two and half times as
much in nutritive value as the starchy
matters, but as fat is only required in a
moderate quantity, while starch is
needed in much larger proportions, fat
more than starch can be used in place of
albumen. There must be precise pro-
portion and balance in the food or it be-
comes wasteful or unhealthful, and gen.
orally both. This balance is, as we
have stated, one part of the protein to
five of carbohydrates, including the fat
A standard food for 1000 pounds of
live weight in any animal in a state of
rest is supposed to be equivalent to 80
pounds daily of the best hay, and this
contains IL pounds of protein; II 3-4
of carbohydrates, and nearly half a
pound of fat. This is nearly the ratio
given, because Is IA divided by 2 LIP
gives very nearly 5 to 1. This, then, is
considered the fundamental rule in feed
ing any farm animal for its healthful
and sufficient sustenance. The slight
excess of carbohydrates would go to
make fat, so that horse, or an OK or
COW, or five sheep weighing alive 1000
pounds, would gain a little fat when
fed on 80 pounds of the best hay daily.
But the exigencies of farm practice
come in right here to disturb this rule.
For the horse works, the cow gives
milk, the sheep rear lambs, and the OK
is fattened, and these various require.
ments have to be met by extra food
And this is precisely where the intelli.
gent farmer finds it necessary to acquire
clear and full knowledge of the prin-
ciples of feeding and of the nature o.
the animal economy, so that he car
change his methods to meet his varied
requirements in the management of hi:
live-stock.-N. Y Times.