Middletown transcript., 1916-05-13

never be fed. The molds not only set
up digestive disorders, but cause a
certain disease of the lungs.
Bran is by-product Of wheat. 1t
should always form an important part
in any poultry ration. Bran is high
in ash content, and also renders the
mash ration of such consistency that
digestive disorders are not so likely to
arise. This is the chief value of bran
as poultry food Only a small portion
of it is digested by chickens, so that
for its food value alone it would be an
expensive feed.
Middlings are lower in protein con-
tent and higher in starch content than
bran, but because of the relative
cheapness should be used. A mash too
high in middlings is pasty, and when
used, middlings should be mixed with
other foods so as to be easily handled
by the digestive tract.
Corn should form large portion of
the ration. 1t is liked by the fowls.
Because of it's high starch and fat
content, it is fattening. 1t should be
fed in combination with other grains
Cracked corn is in form more easily
assimilated than whole corn, and bet
ter results will come with the use OF
it. Feeding immature or green corn
in the fall often results In digestive
troubles.
Cornmeal should be present in ali
rations. 1t may be used in the mash
but should be mixed with other feeds
so as to lessen the liability of crop
impaction. One danger in handling
cornmeal is its liability of heating or
fermenting in storage. Sour or moldy
feed should never be fed A good prac-
tice is to mix the cornmeal with bran
in proportions desired, and store
mixed rather than attempt to store
separately. One of the reasons why
cornbread is better than cornmeal as
a chick food is that baking destroys
the ferments or molds.
Oats can be used successfully in the
ration. When fed whole they should
be fed in limited quantities, not more
than one-third OF the grain ration, be-
cause Of the high percentage of hull.
Chickens are able to digest but very
little crude fiber, and for this reason
one must limit the amount of foods
with hulls, such as buckwheat, oats,
sunfiower seed, etc. The ration should
not have more than 31a to per cent
Of crude fiber Ground oats make an
excellent mash for chickens, while pin
head or steel-cut oats make excellent
chick feed, as do rolled cats.
The hen requires some food high in
protein. All our grain foods so far
considered do not furnish enough pro-
tein. 1t is necessary, then, to supply
something which will balance the ra-
ton, or equal!Ge the relation between
the proteins and the carbohydrates
and fats. Of the vegetable protein
foods, oil meal is perhaps the most
popular. 1t is high in protein, con-
tanning 80 per cent, and makes a val
liable addition to the mash during the
moulting season. It should never form
more than one-fifteenth of the ration
Cottonseed meal is not considered as
palatable and it is slightly constipating
If fed. it should be in very small guam
titles. Gluten meal is also used for
the same purpose and is greatly rel |
ished.
Meat foods are considered essential |
for efficient egg production. In fact,
it is poor economy not to feed meat !
food of some kind. Increased returns |
from feeding it more than make up for |
the expense. Beef scrap is perhaps |
the most common meat food. This is |
a commercial product which comes in |
ground form. will keep indefinitely, !
and can be mixed in the mash. Beef |
scrap runs very high in protein and in
addition contains ash, which is bene-
fcial. n
For farmers the use of sour
SKINNED milk or buttermilk is urged. |
At the Missouri agricultural expert. |
ment station it was shown that by the |
use of sour milk the cost of produc.
ing eggs was reduced ten cent a dozen !
A pen of 25 Leghorns which was fed |
milk produced in eight months $50 |
more eggs than another pen fed the |
same ration, but without sour milk At |
the rate of 20 cents per 100 pounds for |
milk, $3.50 worth of milk produced |
$50 more eggs. The pen consumed 100 |
pounds less feed during that time. |
Sour milk is better than sweet milk.
In feeding milk one should keep the
pals or pans clean. When milk is fed |
it is unnecessary to feed beef scrap or
green cut bone.