574 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



meal, malt sprouts and hominy meal. To-day an examination of 

 the results of feed inspections in the vaiious states, shows that in 

 addition to those used twenty years ago there are now nearly one 

 hundred dilferent kinds, varying widely in their physical character, 

 and in their content and cost of nutritive substances. As a pre- 

 liminary, therefore, to the discussion of the main topic, I think it 

 well to point out in some detail the situation in reference to food 

 supplies tliat exist at the present day. 



The principles of nutrition are the same to-day as they were 

 twenty years ago though in the meantime much has been learned 

 concerning the composition of the different groups of nutrients, the 

 preparation of rations, and the specific functions of the nutrients. 

 Neither has the primary object or purpose of feeding changed in 

 this period, though much has been learned concerning the relation 

 of feeds to the production of specific animal products, with the con 

 ditions the same in essential particulars; therefore, the qnestion 

 arises, is there any good reason why the whole grains and regular 

 forage crops of the farm should not serve to-day as well as twenty 

 years ago, as the chief source of the nutrients in the rations for farm 

 stock? There is no reason from the standjjoint of nutrition, why the 

 whole grains, together with the refuse i)roducts, which w'ere avail 

 able then, should not supply the demands at the present time, and in 

 many respects foods derived directly from home products are su- 

 perior to rations that may be made up by farmers or dealers from 

 the numerous by-products now on the market. 



WHOLE GRAINS DIFFER FROM FEED RESIDUES. 



Nature has jjrovided one thing in the constitution of the whole 

 grains, which is not possessed by any mixture of other materials 

 consisting of j^arts of whole grains, namely, uniform and fixed pro 

 portions of the pure nutrients, fat, protein and carbohydrates, and 

 which W'hen used with the ordinar}' roughage makes it difficult 

 to cause injury from even careless methods of feeding. The chief 

 advantage to be derived from the larger number of the different 

 kinds of concentrated feeds at the present time, is that it is possible 

 by means of them to reduce the cost of the ration and to adjust the 

 nutrients more nearly according to what is believed to be the specific 

 needs of the various purposes of feeding. It is more than likely 

 that the use of feed rations, made up of one-third, by weight, of 

 ground corn, ground oats and wheat bran, cannot be improved upon, 

 from the standpoint of total product and effect upon the animal, by 

 the use of rations made from the different kinds of feeds now on the 

 market, and that the increase in the number of products is not due to 

 necessity, but to changes in the manufacturing of the cereals and 

 other farm products, as well as to the increased know ledge concern- 

 ing the nutritive value of materials not formerly used for animal 

 consumption. » 



The largest increase in the number and kinds of feeds has come 

 from the residues derived in the use of corn in the manufacture of 

 starch and sugar, and the next in order by the increase in the 

 number of residues derived from the manufacture of malt and dis- 

 tilled liquors, and to better methods of handling these refuse pro- 

 ducts. There has also been a great increase in the number due to 



