The progressive farmer., 1904-07-05
FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF LIVE STOCK.
vm.-some Elementary Principles Emphasized.

DIR. Burkett not having found time to prepare
his usual letter for this department this week,
are giving herewith an important article by DR..
Henry Wallace, editor of Wallaces Farmer, in
which he sums up and emphasizes of the
more important scientific truths to which DIR.
Burkett has called attention in this series. Says
DIR. Wallace:
The farmer who feeds live stock of any kind
whether CATTLE sheep, hogs, or even chickens
whether he grows young cattle feeds dairy COWS
or fattens steers, whether he feeds brood sows or
grows shoats for sale, or buys them from others
and fattens them, In fact, feed for any kind
of live stock, must keep constantly in mind this
one essential and unquestioned fact, namely, that
while flesh formers can be used for the production
of heat and the production of fat, carbohydrates
and fat can not under any circumstances be used
for the production of lean meat.
To give those who have not given the subject
sufficient attention a clear understanding allow
once more to say that the nutrients in all feed
ing stuffs we'll In animal bodies and milk
may be divided into five classes, follows: Wa
ter; ash (that is, mineral matter); protein (that
isy the compounds containing nitrogen); carbo-
hydrates, such as starches, sugar; etc., and fats
oils A full supply of water is essential but is
usually so cheap and abundant that do not
consider it in discussing rations. The ash or
mineral matter is ordinarily sufficient for most
kinds of live stock. It is liable to be deficient
where hogs are fed largely corn, and then needs
to be supplied. Because it is usually sufficient fol
other stock it is seldom taken into account III
providing balanced rations.
Protein is the stuff that builds up muscle re-
places waste, forms the casein in milk the blood
and the hair in animals. 1t is of the utmost i'm
portance when discussing the feeding of preg-
nant animals, of young and growing animals,
especially of dairy cows; first because it is usual
ly deficient in the feed given dairy cows, young
and growing stock, and pregnant animals; and,
second, because there is other nutrient known
that take its place.
Carbohydrates furnish meat and energy, and
if fed in excess are stored up in the body in the
shape of fat Fat is used for the same purpose
as carbohydrates, only is than twice
valuable pound for pound. That is, pound of
fat will take the place of "a pounds of carbohy-
drates when fed to the animal.
The thing of Importance we wish to impress up
on our readers at this of the year is that
unless they provide themselves with an abundant
supply of protein, flesh formers, they will iced
their carbohydrates and fats at loss, or else
be compelled to pay out good money to buy them.
We have always insisted that the farmer should
as far as possible grow his own protein. We
may be asked what crops grown the farm con-
tain protein No plant is made up altogether of
protein; no plant is altogether deficient in it.
The plants which contain it in excess or more
than the animal requires are alfalfa, clover, cow
peas soy beans, and vetch; that is, the legumes
Oats, wheat, barley, and rye contain very nearly
the amount of protein required by young and
growing animal and more than is required by the
TIT .1 IL