The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1915-11-05
!. Principles of Animal Nutrition.

j. H. Miller, Director Cooperative Ex-
tension Work.
!. Principles of Animal Nutrition.
In order to fully appreciate the I'm
portance of animal production one
must consider that as human beings
we depend upon the raw soil for food
and raiment. 1t would indeed be a
difficult matter had not kind provi
dence provided plants and animals to
aid us in our struggle for existence.
trates the soil and with the aid of va
| rious agencies, is able to gather for
| Itself from among the eighty or more
elements those which are peculiar to
| Its needs and with the aid of the suns
rays elaborate them into its body and
fruit. The animal, on the other hand,
browses the growing plants or con
sumes the gathered forage, and by
means OF its process of digestion is
capable Of reducing plant life into
forms so simple that they may enter
| the animal body and there take on the
| forms of flesh, fleece and power
Because OF this close relationship
existing between plants and animals,
is therefore not at all strange that
upon analysis by the chemist, plant
and animal tissues contain similar
compounds which for our convenience
have been grouped into four groups:
namely. ash or mineral matter, pro-
TEN, carbohydrates and fats. From
the standpoint of animal production
We will confine our considerations to
these groups OF compounds
The muscle or flesh. hide, hair.
blood and such parts of the animal
body are composed largely of COM
pounds found in the group known as
proteins. The development of sucn
tissues takes place largely during the
growth Of the animal, as each of these
tissues Is made up of many cells
which during growth increase in size
and In number. After the animal
reaches maturity only sufficient
amounts OF these compounds are nee
essary to replace wear and tear. The
logical conclusion would be that grow
ing animals should have foods rich III
protein compounds. as very pecu-
mar condition exists whereby only pro-
teih compounds of plant or animal
FOODS can form protein compounds In
the animal body. Compounds from the
other three groups can not serve the
purpose. We find in the plant king
aom that certain classes OF plants
contain a greater percentage of these
protein compounds than others. Fore
most among them is the class of
pant known as legumes. Legumes
Such as alfalfa, clover, peas, beans.
'etch and other should because of
.helr protein content be desirable,
.eeos Tor growing animals. Factory
oyproducts such as oil meal, cotton
SEED meal, gluten meal, dried brewers
srahs' wheat bran, and others are al.
80 rlch in protein compounds.
me ash or mineral matter is found
largely in the skeleton Of animals
AS with protein the greatest demand
'or mineral matter such as lime, phos-
phorus and others comes during the
sfoWlng period of the animal because
is then that the rapid increase in
s1e calls for rapid increase of the
bony framework.
carbohydrates which includas
s'arches, sugars, and fiber are not
souhd except in very small quantities
= the animal holy, but are the main
source of fat and heat in the BODY.
"heh ted In moderate quantities they
are stored in the liver and muscle It's.
ue In the form of glycogen or animal
'"rch and used for maintaining the
p0uy temperature. II fed in large
quantities they are changed into the
''ore stable fat. For mature animals
""efe the object is to fatten or dur.
As seasons of the year where tempe.
a'ures are low, the feeding of feeds
'i'n IN carbohydrates would be ad
SADIE Most OF our cereal grains and
eu coarse folders are rich in Carlo
purates During work a great deal
y neat is evolved, so that carbohv-
"'es are more economical as a rule
~ work stock to certain extent
1sh protein. Protein can however. IL
III excess be changed into fat, but
IS not economically used in that
'N Fats serve much the same pur.
ose as carbohydrates in the animal
sOuy, and IL fed in large quantities
10y De deposited as fat in only slight.
.nahged forms. Some OF our plant
seus are especially rich IN fats as are
- the by-products after the oil II