The Wilmington morning star., 1942-12-28

poultry is a science that calls for
wide knowledge of animal nu-
triton, says DR.. Walter ]. Peter
son, State college scientist who is
in charge of animal nutrition re-
search for the N. c. Agricultural
Experiment Station. The feed
industry, as result of the war,
is facing many new problems in
supplying a balanced ration for
poultry, hogs, cattle and other
types of livestock he declared.
DR.. Peterson says that feed man.
ufacturers are depending upon re-
search to help them solve some of
their problems, including the pro-
per substitutes for feed ingredi-
ents such as meat scraps, fish
meal, dried skim milk and dried
buttermilk. The war has created
shortage of these products.
1.-The farmer should know of
some of the problems of the feed
industry" said the State college
leader. He should understand
why the feeds he buys are chang
ed, and, most of all. he should
know the limitations of some of
the substitutes. He should learn
to appreciate the work of the feed
manufa cturers in continuing to
provide balanced ration for his
hogs, chickens, COWS and calves"
DR.. Peterson says that the prob
lem of livestock feeding during
the war involves three vital as
poets Of the economic use of feed
stuffs: ID To maintain the live
stock population at as high nu-
merical level as possible: CD to
utilize substitutes for feeds no
longer available; and 90 to cur
tail the feed given animals wher-
ever this can be done without ply
sical damage or economic detri-
ment
The emergency has not chang
ed any of the fundamental con-
cNots Of animal nutrition" the
scientist stated, "but the emer-
gency has forced us to consider
anew the extent to which some of
our less familiar food ingredients
can do the job Of replacing the
more familiar time-tried ingredi-
ents. In many cases a great deal
Of research has been done and
much data are available; in 9TH
ers, much desirable information
is lacking and we must hope that
research will give us the answers
before it is too late.
"Nutritionists are agreed" he
continued, that an adequate ra-
ton should meet certain general
requirements. First, it should be
suitable in physical properties,
bulk and palatabil for the par
ticular animals for which il is in
tended; second, It should provide
sufficient energy to meet the
needs for maintenance, growth
and reproduction where these are
involved; third, it should provide
tie correct amount Of protein of
the right quality; fourth, it should
provide an adequate amount of
all the essential minerals: fifth, it
| should provide enough Of all the
vltamins; and sixth, it should not
contain any substance in harmful
amounts"
AS examples Of problems feed
manufacturers face in using sub
stItutes, Dr. Peterson explained
that soybean or other oil meals
may be substituted for part of
the protein in hog ration, but
there is very apt TO be a deficien-
cy OF calcium, and in some rations
OF phosphorus. Ordinarily swine
ratlons are balanced with animal
by-products such as skim milk,
buttermilk, tankage, meat scraps
or fish meal. When these products
are available the rations can easi-
ly be balanced so as to contain
the proper amounts of both cal
cium and phosphorus.
The same principle applies in
poultry mashes and other feeds"
the research worker declared.
when we are concerned with
Vitamin A, we may forget the i'm
portance of Vitamin b. when vita
mlns are being sought, we may
neglect the minerals.
The farmer should under
stand, he added, that difficult
problems in the formulating of
mixed feeds were with us long
before the war started. Problems
viii not stop when the war is over.
lhey Will always be with us. AT
present feed manufacturers are
concerned with shortages Of GER
tam food ingredients. Shortly.
tney NAV ha copcor,.l .4, =. -