Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-11
COOKING FEED FOR LIVESTOCK.

gestion standpoint there can be no d.
| rect benefits from steaming: indirectly
! there may he some benefit derived by
| the feed being more thoroughly masti-
Gated, thus better digested.
| Tha main and only direct beenfit
to be derived from the steaming Of
food stuffs would be the influence on
the palatatility of the same. Certain
feed stuffs are rendered very much
more palatable by steaming. In this
| connection steamng food is oftimes
used In preparing stock for exhibition
purposes. Animals which are, being
forced to the extreme limit will
sometimes eat more of the steamed
food than when 1t is fed in the raw
state
Cooking Feed. Like the steaming
OF feed. cooking at one time had many
strong advocates among 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 light upon this matter. The
work of the feed lot and that of the
scientist discovered by artificial diges-
ton tests that the cooking of feed
lowered the digestibility Of the nitro
genous content very materially. This
applied 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 feeding
purposes have, in almost every if not
cooking OF feed for swine not only
in every instance proven that the
does not increase the value Of the
same, but invariably has proven to-
be conclusive detriment to the food
fed. This question seems to be prac-
tically settled so far as most feeding
stuffs are concerned. Henry, OF the
Wisconsin station, has found that
cooking was an advantage in the case
OF roots and potatoes in that 1t in
creased the palatability of the same.
The same author advises the cooking
of pigeon grass seed, in that 1t can
be more satisfactorily consumed by
swine.
In cold climates warmed food has
been found to be most useful for
poultry and swine feeding purposes,
especially in real cold weather.
Some kinds of feed such as wheat
and barley, are oftentimes cooked be-
fore fed to show cattle. The cooking
renders these feed stuffs more palat
able; also such feed seems to have a
tendency to firm up the flesh Of fab
by animals. We cannot say how
much OF lf any of this Is due to the
cooking.
Boiled cooked feed. such as bar
ley. oats, bran, roots and small
quantity of oil meal. makes good
ration for feeding horses about twice
a week. 1t is palatable and seems to
have desirable effect on the diges-
tive system due largely to the oil
meal present.
In summarizing, 1t may be said that
the main advantage to be derived from
cooking or boiling of feed stuffs is that
it renders some of them very much
more pals.table, and in some instances
may aid very much in the mastication
of certain foods.
Fermenting Feeds. In the process of
making silage we have an example of
fermenting feed stuff for the purpose of
making more acceptable food for an
imals. The main advantage in this
connection however is that 1t acts as
a means Of preservation, so that the
feed stuff in question may be kept in
sufficient state for an indefinite
length of time, not that it increases
the feeding value of the product any.
In fact, it lessons 1t to a certain ex-
tent, 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 corn,
clover ard other green folders away,
so that 1t 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
German and American experiments
show conclusiyely that it is not advis-
able 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, 1t |
must be conceded, OF course, that when |
cooking iced stuffs by steaming or 9th
erwise renders them more palatable |
and thereby makes possible the con-
sumption Of material otherwise wasted, !
the influence upon digestibility Is a |
minor consideration. l