The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-03-21
Selecting Feed
For Poultry
Use simple Mixtures and Home
Grown Grains. Conditions Govern
Selection Of Best Ration

combination OF 1eeds. results ue-
pend almost as much upon the abil.
ity of the feeder and the methods of
feeding as on the kinds Of grains.
The simplest feed mixtures and
home grown grains should usually be
selected, the rations varying with
changes in the market price Of the
srains. 1t is advisable for most poul.
try raisers to mix their own feeds, as
in this way they can control the pro-
portions of the various ingredients
and obtain the precise mixture that
they desire. II, however, one desires
to purchase prepared feeds, inform
alton concerning the different com.
mercial articles may usually be
secured from the State experiment
station. Most experiment, stations
will analyze poultry feeds and report
on the different commercial prepar-
ations sold by dealers in their States.
Poultry feeds may be divided for
convenience into Ave general classes:
First. grains, both whole and crack
ed; second, ground grains; fed in the
form Of a mash; third. meat feeds;
forth. mineral feeds; and fifth, green
feeds. Corn, cracked corn, wheat
and wheat screenings, oats, barley,
rye. and buckwheat are the principal
grains. while Of the ground feeds we
have corn meal and corn chop, corn
and cob meal, wheat bran, middlings,
shorts and low-grade -four, oatmeal
oat -four and ground or crushed oats,
and mixed feeds. In the meat feeds,
or feeds supplying animal protein,
are beef scraps, meat meal, dry bone,
oyster shells, and grit make up the
mineral feeds and, with charcoal and
green feeds, complete the common
feeding materials.
Many ground feeds, which are by
products of the common grains, are
used to good advantage in feeding, In
combination with grain and beef
scrap. Ground grains and meat feeds
are more forcing than the whole
grains commonly used, while the COM
bination of the whole grains with
the ground feeds make q more
economical feed and better balanced
ration than the whole grains alone.
The feed elements are usually cheap
er in the ground than in the whole
grains. as the former are by-products
Of many Of the grains used for
human consumption. Ground grains
and beef scraps, in combination,
either wet or dry, make what is call
ed a mash" These by.products are
higher in protein than most OF the
common grains, so that balanced
ration is secured by combining
whole grains with the mash. Some OF
the ground grains, such as bran ana
middlings, add large percentage OF
bulk to the ration, which is beneficial.
Animal protein is considered essen
tial to the best results in feeding.
Most poultrymen feed meat In some
form, while suburban poultry keep
ers either feed this product or table
scraps; but few farmers buy any
meat feed. Some form of feed con-
tanning animal protein must be sup
piled If any eggs are to be obtained
in the fall and winter. Skim milk
or buttermilk is available On many
farms and where 1t is not 1t would
probably pay most farmers to, BUY
beef scrap or some other meat Feed
Fowls on free range on the farms
pick up bugs and insects during part
of the year, which furnish this pro-
tein feed, SO that the use of addition
al meat feeds is regulated by indiv'd'
ual conditions. Fowls closely coniin-
ed need more animal feed than those
on a good range; and in a cold ell
mate, where no bugs or insects are
available during several winter
months, more animal feed must be
supplied than in sections where the
winters are mild.
A well balanced ration contains the
proper proportion of protein and
carbohydrates for its purpose with
the mineral matter, bulk and palata-
bility that are necessary to give good
feeding results. There is no best ra'
ton, and the practica! application OF
science in poultry feeding is to know
about what proportion Of these sub
stances gives good feeding results
and then to use roughly this relative
proportion in making rations or in
substituting different feeds, accord
ing to their price and availability.
In securing fall and winter eggs
the first essential is to have pullets
well matured before cold weather,
which means Matching birds of the
general purpose breeds in March and