The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-07-03
Montana Grains That Prove
Best for Poultry Feeding

ten meal is high in protein and fat
a highly concentrated food, and il
should comprise only a small portion
of the ration. 1t is not easily obtain
able in Montana.
Wheat-Wheat is only slightly less
digestible than corn as a poultry
feed. 1t is better balanced and US
ually is recognized as the most vaul-
able single grain for poultry. 1t is
slightly higher in protein than corn,
a little lower in carbohydrates and
much lower in fat. Wheat is easily
obtainable in this state and should
have a prominent place in all poultry
rations. Frosted or shrunken wheat
contains a larger proportion of pro-
tein than plump wheat and is there
fore more valuable as a poultry feed.
Wheat middlings are high in car
bohydrates and fat but lower in pro-
tein than bran. Middlings should be
more finely ground than bran and
contains a larger proportion of the in
ner layers of the wheat kernel, ap-
preaching a low-grade of flour in
quality and appearance. Middlings
should be used as one of the ingred-
tents of a mash.
Bran is made up essentially of the
outer coating of the wheat kernel.
1t is fairly high in protein but is high
in fibre and relatively low in digest
Utility. 1t is valued somewhat as a
laxative. Too much bran should not
be used in the makeup of a ration.
Shorts are the poorer grade of
middlings, containing considerable
finely ground bran. The quality Of
middlings, bran and shorts varies
considerably throughout the country.
Oats-Oats probably rank next to
wheat and corn as a food for poultry.
Whole oats are high in fibre, this be-
ing the chief objection to feeding
them in large quantities. They can,
however, be used profitably in the
scratch ration if they are of good
Hulled bats and oatmeal are both
valuable as poultry feeds. Oatmeal
IS high both in protein and in fat and
'anks with other grains in carbohy- I
irate content. For poultry it supplies +
digestible nutrients than any $
grain. 1t is, however, usually
in price. 4
Barley-Barley is a grain quite {
'asily obtained in this state and usu- r
lily is not very high priced. 1t is (
lot so readily digested as either corn
IT wheat. In some cases it is neces- a
airy for the birds to learn to like f
grain before they will eat it. e
barley is useful in mash. Ex- 1
eriments at the Montana Experiment
station have shown that it can be "
rofitably used to replace corn in a
attening ration. =
Rye-Rye is a common grain but
oes not seem to be greatly relished
Y poultry. 1t is fairly high in pro-
elm and carbohydrates but low in fat.
here has been some criticism of rye :,
hen fed to poultry, owners claiming q
hat it forms a poison causing death. s
here is no experimental research Fl
nat proves this statement.
Peas-Peas, if cracked, may be-
sed successfully in the scratch ra- "
.on. They are particularly high in c
rotein but low in carbohydrates and v
1T. They have not been economic :
lily important on a large scale be- "
ause they are usually the by-pro- {
of the canning industry and II
le%refore limited in the amount if
valuable for animal feeding. =.
Spelts-Spelts, though raised quite
idely in the state, are not recon- II
lended as a poultry feed. The ex- eC
sssive hull reduces the digestibility Il
a large extent. Where large %
mounts are raised they may be used <
the scratch ration, but should not W
AXE more than 10 per cent of the eN
ltion.
Millet-Millet may be used in the -.
,ratch ration in small quantities and 8
lie supply varies to such an extent u
to make it economically unim- IN
b,