The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-01-21
Feed Terms Every Farmer Should
Know.
appears.

Clemson COlIeSe; Jan. 1'' ;
farmer should know the meaning
of certain terms commonly used in
discussing the subject OF feeding.
This is essential for the proper un-,
ing to the subject and for the in
telligent application Of its recon-
mendations to feeding practice.
In discussing the chemical COM
position of feeds the terms protein
carbohydrates, fat, nitrogen-free
extract, crude fiber, and ash are
used. These terms are explained
briefly by w. D. Salmon, assistant
animal husbandman.
Protein-This is. a complex nitro
gen-containing compound. Rough
ly the amount of nitrogen in a feed
multiplied by G25 gives the amount
Of crude protein. Protein is essen
tial for the production of lean
meat, milk, the white of egg, con-
nective tissue, skin, hair, horn ard
hoof. Reproduction and growth Of
the animal body are impossible
without protein. Hence larger
amounts O this nutrient are re-
quired for young growing animals
than for mature animals, although
the latter must have some protein
in the feed to maintain the normal
body functions. The chief sources
of this compound for livestock feed
ing are cottonSeed meal, linseed oil
meal, soy beans or sCybean meal,
peanut meal, velvet beans, tankage,
fish meal, blood meal, skim milk,
and alfalfa or clover hay. The
green forage crops and grasses
while young and tender are also
important sources.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES are COM
pounds of carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen. They furnish heat to keep
the body warm and energy. for do
Ing. work. Any surplus is convert
ed into animal fat. The carbohy-
rates are the most important nu-
trients for fattening animals. The
chief sources are starches and su-
gars in the grains and the crude
fiber of the roughages. Some feeds
high in carbohydrate are corn,
rice meal, wheat, barley, oats, po-
tatoes, sorghum, and timothy hay.
Fats-The composition Of fats
resembles that of the carbohy-
drates and they are used for the
same purpose by the animal. They
furnish 225 times as much energy
per unit as the; carbohydrates. The
chief sources are the grains, and
leguminous seeds-soy beans, pea
nuts, and velvet beans. Some of
the by-pfoducts like tankage, CO.
coaput meal. peanut cake, sundow-
er seed cake, and oil meal, are rath-
er high in fat.
Nitrogen-free EEtracts-This en-
braces everything in/the carbohy-
drates except fiber The term has
at times led to confusion by people
thinking it means njtrogen-carry-
ing compounds, whereas it meant
compounds carrying no nitrogen.
7 Crude Fiber-This is the woody
portion of feedstuff. 1t is a car
bohydrate but it is less digestible
and has a lower putritive value
than the other constituents Of feeds.
Certain forms of fiber are almost
entirely ipdigestible and are used
only as filters in feeds. The rough
ages are all high in fiber.
=. Ash. or. Mineral Matter-Ash is
used in building boce and in many
Of the life processes. The minerals
most likely to be deficient in the
rations Of farm animals are calcium
Qime), phosphorus. and common
salt. The legume hays-clover, al
falfa, soy beam. and cow pea-are
rich in calcium. Wheat bran is
high in phosphorus. Tankage, fish
meal, and skim milk contain 10th
calcium and phosphorus in cor
siderable quantities.