Milford chronicle., 1923-09-28
FEEDING WHEAT TO FARM LIVE
STOCK
T. A. Baker
University of Delaware

The feeding of wheat to liVestocl
has seldom been given serious con
lsideration by farmers due to the higl
market value of this grain as compar
ed with some others grains notably
corn. The cost of raising wheat is
considerably lower than that of rails
ing corn and the great demand fol-
wheat as an article of human con-
sumption places the wheat price in
normal years as a point that is fa1
above consideration by the stock feed
er. During the summer of 1928 there
has been very marked change in the
ratio that normally exists between the
wheat price and the corn price. At the
present time there is so little differ
ence between the price of wheat and
the price of corn that many Delaware
farmers are seriously considering the
substitution of wheat for corn in feed
ing their live stock. The inquiries re-
ceived by the Experiment Station at
the University of Delaware during the
past few weeks would indicate that
there are two questions which have
arisen in the minds of the farmers of
Iu6 OJdI6 III I6SdIu " IuAo S4IudJAOl45
first, can wheat be economically used
as a substitute for corn in ratiOns for
live stock, and second, is wheat a safe
grain for general feeding.
The following statement recently
published by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture covers the
economic question very satisfactor-
lily: There are certain definite ratios
between the prices of corn and wheat
when the latter may be fed as profit
ably as corn. Experiments carried on
by the Bureau of Animal Industry in
dicate that when corn is so cents a
bushel on the farm, 54-cent wheat can
be fed profitably to all animals, in
Guiding poultry, sheep, hogs and cat
tie; 66-cent wheat to hogs and cattle. |
Similarly it is figured that when corn
is rs cents a bushel on the farm, 30 |
cent wheat can be fed proftably to all |
animals including poultry; 84-cent |
wheat to cattle and hogs, but not to
poultry and sheep. The ratio of prices
when corn is $1.00 on the farm shows
that $1.07 wheat can be fed with pro-
fit to all types of livestock; SLIP
wheat to hogs and cattle. The ratios
when corn has a different value are
the same but it must
be remembered that the cost Of grind
ing or crushing the wheat has not
been considered" 1t may be gathered
from the foregoing statement that
wheat and corn have about the same
feeding value pound for pound, but I.
hat wheat is somewhat more valuable
han corn compared bushel for bushel.
ao,ei,,, ,4o1 owl fInf
leen done in feeding wheat indicates
hat it is a suitable food for all classes
If farm live stock. It's feeding value is
approximately the same as that of I
,orn when the former is ground be- I
ore feeding. The digestibility of whole
wheat is lower than that of corn when /
t is fed whole due to the imperfect c
nastication of the small hard kernels.
FOR that reason wheat should always t
,e ground. Wheat should not cOnsti-
ute the entire ration for any class Of [
nimals, but when suitably combined c
With other feeds, it is very satisfac- L
Dry for nearly any feeding purpose. i
When fed to dairy cattle ground wheat 9
hould be combined with some more p
ulky feeds, such as bran or corn and
OBJ meal since the sticky nature of e.
le ground wheat renders it less pal a
table and less readily digested. A IL
cry satisfactory home prepared grain Il
fixture for the dairy COW would be: o.
40 lbs. Ground Wheat
40 lbs. Corn and Cob Meal or Bran 81
20 lbs. Cottonseed meal (419o pro 81
i'm. II
Best results will be obtained with al
lis mixture where legume hay is fed. Iii
round wheat may replace corn en- 81
rely in rations for swine. The stick kt
ess which is Objectionable in feed Al
g COWS seems to make no difference be
the hog unless the grain is very 2
Lely ground. In this case, it should ra
ways be fed as thin slop. A salts wi
ctory mixture for fattening pigs is: in
8 parts ground wheat pc
part tankage or fish meal. pc
Wheat alone should never be fed to ga
rses, but it may constitute one-half
the horses's grain with good re- du
It's. Wheat may be fed in the Sleeps dis
ion wherever corn would be fed. SIN
e use of wheat for poultry is too at
le-spread to require comment. mi
While there is no great difference ant
he price of wheat and corn at pres he;
j., it would hardly seem advisable bro
the stockman who has to buy his tail
in on the market to choose wheat E1t
to corn. Nevertheless, ed.
farmer who has a large amount of sec
,af on hand and only a limited sup Agl
of corn should certainly make a COT
-.