The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-20
THE EVENING TIMES, GRAND FORKS, n. D.

lots of ten sheep In each lot were
used In the test. One was fed Ia
pounds Of corn per head per day, the
grain being fed dry: the other LOT
seceived the same amount, which was
soaked so as to contain as much water
as 1t would absorb before being fed
At the end of fourteen weeks feeding
the lot receiving the dry corn had
gained l2.1 pounds more per head
than the lot which had been fed on
soaked corn. The experimenter ex-
plains the poorer utilization Of the
soaked corn by the decreased secre-
ton OF the saliva when grain SO treat
ed was fed.
Experiments conducted by the diff
ferent experiment stations In feeding
dry feed to swine all indicate some
benefit from soaking the feed. An
average of all the trails would in
dictate saving Of about Z per cent by
soaking the feed.
Steaming Feed: Several years ago
there could be found in many Sec
tons of the country establishments
for the steaming of forage for cat
tie ana other classes of stock The
fact that meme of them remain is /.
good proof that they were not con-
sidered to be of much benefit. Tests
along this line have shown that the
steaming OF hay has lowered its per
cent OF digestible protein very ma
terially. When the hav was dry fed,
forty-siX per cent of the protein was
digestible, but when fed after being
steamed but thirty per cent of the
protein was digeSted Thus from q
digestion standpoint there can be no
direct benefits from steaming; in
directly there may be some benefit
derived by the feed before more thor
oughly nasticated. thus better di-
gested.
The main and the only direct bene.
fit to be derived from the steaming
OF feed stuffs would be the influence
upon the palatability of the same.
Certain feed stuffs are rendered very
much more palatable by steaming In
this connection steaming food is Of
tentimes used in preparing stock for
exhibition purposes. Animals which
are being forced to the extreme limit
will sometimes eat more of the steam
ed food than when it Is fed in the
raw state.
Cooking Feed: Like the steaming
Of feed. cooking at one time had many
strong advocates among the practical
feeders. They claimed that six pounds
more pork could be secured from a
bushel of corn when fed in the cooked
form rather than in the raw form.
Recent investigations have thrown
much Tight upon this matter. The work
of the feed lot and that of the scien-
tfo$ I,xyo n$SE -s1 =
tests that the cooking of feed lowered
the digestibility OF the heterogeneous
contents very materially. This APP
piled to each of the various feed stuffs
used.
Extensive investigations at several
of our experiment stations along the
line of testing the feeding value OF
the various grains in the cooked and
uncooked condition for swine feed
ing hace, in almost every Il not every
instance, proven that the cooking of
feed for swine not only does not in
crease the value of the same, but in
variably has proven to be conclusive
detriment to the food fed. This ques-
ton seems to be practically settled
so far as most feeding stuffs are con-
sidered. Henry, of the Wisconsin
station, has found that cooking was
an advantage in the case of roots and
potatoes, in that it increased the pala-
liability Of the same. The same author
advises the cooking of pigeon grass
seed. in that it can be more easily
consumed by swine. In cold climates
warm food has been found to be most
useful for poultry and swine feeding
purposes, especially In real cold
weather.
Some kinds of food, such as wheat
and barley, are oftentimes cooked be-
fore fed to show cattle. The cooking
renders these feed stuffs more pala-
table; also, such feed seems to have
a tendency to firm up the flesh of
flabby animals. We cannot say how
much or if any of this is due to the
cooking.
Boiled or cooked feed, such as bar
ley, oats, bran, roots, and small
quantity of oil meal, makes a good
ration for feeding horses about twice
week. 1t is palatable and seems
to have desirable effect on the d.
gestive system, due largely to the oil
meal present.
In summarizing it may be said
that the main advantage to be de-
rived from cooking or boiling of feed
stuffs is that it renders some of them
very much more palatable and in some
instances may aid very much in the
mastication of certain foods
Fermenting Feeds: In the pro-
cess of making silage we have an
example of fermenting feed stuff for
the purpose of making more &C.
n1a
advantage in this connection, how
ever, is that it acts as means of
preservation, so that the feed stuff in
question may be kept in succulent
state for an indefinite length of time.
Not that it increases the feeding value
Of the product any. In fact, it les
sens IT to certain extent, as in the
process of fermentation certain Of the
compounds are broken up and others
formed which are not SO digestible.
Still, by this process of fermentation
we are able to store away corn,
clover and other green folders. so
that it may be used for feeding pur-
poses at any season of the year. In
conclusion it will be we'll for us to
bear in mind that the results of Ger
man and American experiments show
conclusively that 1t is not advisable
to steam, cook, soak or treat in any
way any feed stuff which can be
thoroughly masticated by the animal
for which it Is intended. and at the
same time is of such nature as not
to be improved from a palatability
standpoint On the other hand, it
must be conceded. of course. that
when cooking feed stuffs by steaming
or otherwise renders them more nal