Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-12-10
FARM BUREAU NOTES.
By j. v. shipman, Agent.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY maintenance ration we meat
a feed which furnishes just enough
nutriment to cover the requirements
of the body for heat to supply enc-sy
expended in work of heart, lungs, di-
gestive and other internal organs, as
well as to furnish motive power TO:
the body and keep up repairs. Tbs
supply of protein must be suff:c eat
to promote growth Of muscles, ha:s
fhoofs, wool etc. AS VII be seen this
requirement is relative small, thus the
rotation is made u3 nest largely ..
sugars and fats which are used as fuel
/ The maintenance ration TO. differ.
ent animals of same age and size Offer
differs widely because of their d'ffe~
ence in temperament. The resil
animal exerts his muscles more thus
using up more fuel for work. All
careful feeders have noticed this n
steers. The restless steer takes or
flesh slowly and is less, o-ofi.ab {
feeder than the quiet, good tempered
steer.
Stock feeders are often found feed
ing rations not properly balanced be
cause of not having the proper feeds
on hand. This is true in the co-a
growing sections where we # nd the
rations deficient in protein. Th n
again on the sugar plantations We ne
horses, mules and Other stock f'sd
largely on the by-products, which a-e
very high in sugar and low in p-ote ?
The reverse is true in the cotton
growing sections, where cotton seed
meal makes uo the bulk of the feed
for Live stock
The most economical feed for farm
live stock-is a ration practically ba'.
anced. Conditions in the supply ane
prices influence this somewhat, bn
is seldom wise to depart far from
the proper balanced ration
1t is possible that prote n IN exccs'
of the amount actually required M.
take the place of fats or sugars, bu
neither of the latter can take tht
place of protein should they Be- II
excess. The body requires nitrogci
constantly and protein is. the chi,
food element furnishing it.
Right now is a good tine to Blu,
feed for the winte--. A glance at feet
Lprices shows that it VII undoubtedl.
save more than the interest on TIL
none Io buy plenty ct feed Ilos
and store II for future use. Prices OF
car load lots are much lower thar
they have been for sometime oil
meal is being sold at $31 ID ton, b-al
has been offered at $3.50, and cot
ton-seed meal can be bought at abcu
| ST., Is there any good reason VIII,
four to ten dairymen could not co
operate and buy a carload of fees
at these prices and thereby make ;
substantial saving on Their bills3 Thi
saving by buying in carload lots i
about 81 to So per ton, and by takin:
advantage of the low market prices
/ greater saving can be effected,
Cotton-seed meal presents the rea
sensation of prices in dairy feeds
The high percentage of protein m k
it one of the most valuable foot
sources.
Even though it is not used in yer.
large quantities da ryman could vel
afford to buy cottonseed meal, at TIL
present prices, and spread it on tn
fields for its fert lizing value a'on'
This meal is not understood suff..
GENTLY by our dairymen. One poun'
of this feed is actually worth as muc
as two pounds of corn for feed:n
cattle.
The merit of this meal has beel
recognized and appreciated .mor
abroad than at home This veal
lowing to the unsettled condiss.ol
| abroad, the markets have been DIS
turbed to such an extent tina: lit
| tie is being exported. Another thin
that has affected the price is h
bumper crop of cotton in the South
It is estimated thai there will be Is,
100000 bales harvested in the Unite
States this year. This will mean
yield of nearly 100000 tons of cot
tonseed and it will be fair to est
mate, judging by the amount produe
| ed last year, that there will be 1000,
600 tons of cottonseed meal put O
the market this year. Last year owe
100000 tons were shipped abroad an
lit is safe to assume that there W.
be 100000 tons more of this fee
| available for use on the Amcr;c1
farms this year than last.
No other form of1concentrated fee
| will prove as economical at the pres
ent time. When it is further recog
nized that so to 80 per cent of til
fertilizing value remains in the ma
nire and can be taken to the Ian,
its value will be fully appreciated.