The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

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tural Experiment Station.
To feed growing poultry economicsi-
| y, the owner must give them ration
that will secure regular and rapid de-
velopment. In this article Professor
Lewis tells what each element in the
common foods is. and shows how to mix
feeds that will give best results with
the growing stock.
Growing poultry must be provided
with an abundance of foods of the right
composition supplied in such a way as
to reduce the labor to the lowest point
which is consistent with good growth
and proper maturity.
1t is vitality necessary to appreciate
the Importance of systematic feeding. 1t
is a we'll established fact that poultry,
more than any other farm animal, must
be cared for in a systematic way y
definite time should be set aside for
feeding the growing stock, and they
| should be fed each day at the same time
and with the same degree of care. Ran
dom feeding will not result In success
fully grown roasters for market pur-
poses.
knowledge of Food Essential
In determining the best foods for
growing poultry, 1t is essential that the
feeder should know the functions and
uses of the common nutrients. They
are protein carbohydrates. fat and
water. Each of these materials has a
definite function to perform. and all
must be supplied in the proper proper
tons IL continuous growth is to be
maintained.
food material. 1t is of the most i'm
portance in the ration, Is expensive to
purchase. and cannot be readily grown
by the poultryman. 1t provides ma
terial for the formation of the lean
meat. feathers, beak and nails. Car
bohydrates are food materials which
contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen,
| examples being sugar and starch. Fat
is oil stored UP in plants and animals.
Carbohydrates and fat have much tho
same function when fed to the growing
birds. These functions are three
l. They are oxidized or burned in the
process Of digestion and give off heat
which keeps the birds warm.
2. Heat is produced and utilized by
| the bird as energy to enable 1t to move
3. The carbohydrates and fats which
stored up in the body as animal fat.
or reserved food material.
Growing poultry must have these ele-
ments of protein. carbohydrates and fat
in order to maintain a satisfactory gam.
Mineral Matter Important
! Ash or mineral matter is an important
nutrient. having for Its function the
building up of the bone and the forma-
1 ton of the framework of the body
| Lime Is a simple form of ash, which Is
/ fed extensively in poultry rations. II
addition to building up body and tissue,
ash aids the process of digestion by IN
creasing the availability of other fools
The growing poultry must have enoug n
mineral matter to build good solid
| framework, so that later they will be
able to put on a larger amount of flesh
when desired
Water, while not true food, has an
| important function. 1t aids in dissolvin :.
| food materials in smaller particles AMI
distributing them to the different parts
of the body. 1t also adds materially in
| increasing diffusion, which is the process
| by which food material Is ultimately as
simulated
With this brief discussion OF the func-
tions of the different nutriments, it will
| be interesting and practicable to know
the possible sources of these materials
IN order TO mix rations economically.
Protein or heterogeneous food materials arc
of two kinds--those of an animal source
and those of a vegetable source. There
Is no more economical source of protein
than meat scrap, which can be pur-
chased fer about $50 ton or cents
pound, for the protein present Fish
scrap is also efficient a protein car
rier 1t contains considerable phosphoric
acid and nitrogen. 1t can be purcha sed
! for 80 per 100 pounds. Bone In the dry
grapulated form contains from 20 to Is
per cent protein and about 20 per cent
of phosphoric acid. Growing chicks
thrive much better when 1t is included
| In ration. These three carriers OF ami