The Hope pioneer., 1922-11-02
METHODS OF UTILIZING GULL
POTATOES TO AVOID LOSSES
Feeding Potatoes to Livestock.

Feeding Potatoes to Livestock.
Potatoes may be fed to livestock in
limited quantities in connection with
other feeds. While they may be sliced
and fed raw with dry feeds, it is best
to cook them before feeding, as heavy
feeding Of raw potatoes will cause
securing. Under ordinary farm condi-
tions, boiling or steaming is the most
economical method of cooking potatoes
for livestock. Feeding investigations
indicate that when potatoes are fed
with others feeds to balance the pro-
tein requirements, from $50 to 45O
pounds of corn, while from 500 to 600
pounds Of raw potatoes are required
to equal 100 pounds of corn.
Swine-feeding experiments of the
Oregon agricultural experiment station
in 1913, showed that steaming the po-
tatoes increases their feeding value
about 60 per cent.
One analysis shows that the average
analysis of potatoes Is 7S9 per cent
water, 1 per cent ash, 2.1 per cent pro-
tein, 0.6 per cent fiber, 17.3 per cent
nitrogen-free extract, and OIL per cent
fat. The low protein content of the
potatoes makes it advisable to feed
them in connection with feeds that
are relatively high in protein content.
Unripe potatoes and sprouts of
stored potatoes contain considerable
solanin, a poisonous compound, and
should not be fed.
Horses-Potatoes are palatable and
we'll suited for use as horse feed. 1t
is safe to feed as high as Is pounds
day to work horses. They are equival-
ent to about one-third their weight in
hay. When potatoes are fed, legume
hay is desirable supplement. If a
grass hay, such as timothy, is fed, the
ration should contain feeds rich in pro-
tein, such as concentrates, legume hay,
etc. 1t is advisable to chop the pota-
toes to lessen the danger Of choking.
Cattle-Cooked potatoes may be fed
to cattle at the rate of from 25 to 80
pounds day per 1000 pounds live
weight. The allowance should be les
sened somewhat if they are fed raw,
on account Of their tendency to
produce scourings. A heavy allowance
Of potatoes, however, produces milk
and butter of poor flavor.
Sheep-Potatoes may be fed in small
quantities to sheep in about the same
way as roots are fed to this class of
animals. The daily allowance should
be approximately one to three pounds
per mature sheep. Potatoes should be
used as succulent feed, together with
q regular ration Of legume hay and
cheap roughage.
Swine-For feeding to swine, pota-
toes should be cooked and fed with
middlings, tankage, or fishmeal in self
feeders. 1t is especially important that
the potatoes be supplemented by these
protein feeds for growing shoats. The
self-feeder methods is efficient as q
means of having the pigs fed potatoes
and protein feeds in correct proper
tions.
Poultry-Potatoes should be boiled
or steamed before being fed to fowls
and are fed to best advantage when
mixed with mash. Since potatoes are
quite fattening, they should be fed in
limited quantities, preferably to laying
hens or growing chickens, and should
be used in connection with other feeds.
One hundred hens will consume about
10 pounds Of cooked potatoes daily,
and these potatoes can be used to re-
place corn meal in the poultry mash
If so used, an equal weight of potatoes
and mash may be mixed together. A
laying mash for this purpose may be
made Of: part meat scrap, part OF
middlings, 2 parts bran, and parts
potatoes, by weight.
Other Uses.
Aside from the use of Gull potatoes
for feeding purposes, potato-starch
factories offer limited outlet for the
surplus in those few localities where
starch factories are in operation. Such
establishments are located in Aroos'
took county, Maine, central Wisconsin
; and northern Minnesota. In these sec
tions it may be profitable for producers
to get in touch with the factories and
endeavor to arrange for q greater
utiliza tion of their surplus.
The question may arise as to the
practicability Of utilizing portion Of
: the surplus in the production Of
: alcohol, or in the manufacture Of pota
to -four or dehydrated potatoes. 1t Il
sufficient to say that under present
economic conditions these three out
lets are not practicable.