Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-17
SIMPLE FEED MIXTURES
ARE BEST FOR POULTRY
Expert OF Department Of Agriculture
Gives Valuable Advice on
Subject OF Ratjons

No topic related to the poultry in.
dustry has been productive of so many
divergent views and opinions as that
of feeding. A recent statement from
a poultry expert In the Department OF
Agriculture, on the subject o. feeding,
contains authenticity and therefore
valuable information on this all i'm
portant subject
According to this authority, the sim
plest feed mixtures and home grown
grains should usually be selected, the
rations varying with changes In the
market price Of the grains. II Is adj
visable for most poultry raisers to mix
their own feeds, as in this way they
can control the proportion Of the yari-
GUS ingredients and obtain The precise
mixture that they desire. II. however,
one desires to purchase prepared
feeds, information concerning the diff
ferent comm, rclal articles may usual
ly be secured from the State expert
ment station.
Poultry feeds may be divided for
convenience into five general classes:
First, grains, both whole and cracked,
second. ground grains. fed in the form
of mash; third. mea' feeds; fourth.
mineral feeds; md fifth, greel feeds
Corn, cracked corn, wheat and wheat
screenings, oats. barley, rye. an, buck
wheat 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 flour, oatmeal, cat -four and
ground or crushed oats, and mixed
feeds. In the meat feeds, or feeds
supplying animal protein, are beet
scrap, meat meal, ground green bone,
and various forms Of milk; while bone
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, arc
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 tho combination
OF the whole grains with the ground
feeds makes more economical feed
and a better balanced ration than the
whole grains alone. The feed Gle
ments are usually cheaper In the
ground than IN the whole grains, a.,
the former are byproducts Of many of
he grains used for human consumn-
ton. Ground grains and beef scrap,
In coordination, either wet or dry,
make what is called Il mash" These
hyDroducts are higher IN protein than
most Of the common grains, SO that &,
balanced ration Is secured nv combiu-
ing whole grains with the mash. Some
OF the ground grains, such as hrar md
mlddlings, add q large pereental OF
bulk to the ration, which ls beneficial.
Some form Of feed containing ami
mai protein must be supplied if any
oggs are to be obtained in the fall and
winter. Skim milk or buttormilk is
available on many farms, and whore
1t Is not it would probably pay most
farmers to buy beef scraps or othor
meat feed. Fowls closely confined
need more animal feed than those on
good range; and in a cold climate
where no bugs or insects are available
during several winter months. more
animal feed must be supplied than in
sections wheer the winters Are mild.
In securing fall and winter eggs the
FIRST essential Is TO have pullets well
matured before cold weather which
means Matching birds of tho general
purpose breeds in March and April.
a wellbalanced simple ration MAY
be made of equal parts. by weight, Of
wheat, cracked corn and oats FED
twice daily, usually In the mornins
And II night The grain may be either