COMMERCIAL FEEDS 



J. M. PicKEL, Feed Chemist.* 



Five hundred and thirty-six (536) samples were analyzed during the 

 year ending midsummer 1915; 375 and 363 during the years 1914 and 

 1913, respectively. One hundred and fifty-five (155) samples analyzed 

 this year (1915) were unofficial, that is, sent in by farmers, dairymen, 

 millers, dealers, and are not published or treated of in this report. The 

 remaining 381 samples were collected throughout the State by the 

 official insjDector. This report deals- with these latter, or official, sam- 

 ples. They carried 1,098 guarantees, counting only those on protein, 

 fat and fiber; in 270 instances (28.5 per cent), the feeds were below 

 guaranty,-}- a slight increase (.5 per cent) over last year. If we include 

 in the estimate only those cases in which the protein was found to be 

 one or more per cent below guaranty, and fat one-half or more per cent 

 below guaranty, and crude fiber one or more per cent above guaranty, 

 then out of the total of 1,098 guaranties only 137 or 12.5 per cent were 

 not as good, or substantially as good, as claimed. 



The following table gives a general summary of the kinds of feeds 

 analyzed, the number of each, the number of guaranties of protein, fat 

 and fiber; the number deficient and the percentage of deficiencies in 

 each case. 



•Assisted by Messrs. E. S. Dewar and J. Q. Jackson. Only a small fraction of the time of these 

 gentlemen — aS much as is indicated by the making of the protein determinations — was given to the 

 work of this bulletin. In addition to the duties of Feed Chemist, Dr. Pickel has charge of the toxi- 

 cological and water work of the Department. 



fin this estimate, all crude fibers which were found to be above guarantee are reckoned as beJow, 

 that is, not as good as guaranty; this is because it is the maximum crude fiber, and not the minimum, 

 as in the case of protein and fat, that is guaranteed. Crude fiber is regarded as a dilutant of a feed — 

 the more of it in a feed the l?ss valuable the feed; the opposite of this is true in the case of protein and 

 fat. 



