Principles and Practice of Stock Feeding 33 



ration, if he has worked his farm as it should be worked in the growing of 

 carbohydrates. This is true even though hay is cut early and clover largely 

 grown. Hence while the farm is worked as a carbohydrate factory, the 

 feed store when resorted to should supply much protein and comparatively 

 small amounts of carbohydrates. 



The three reasons on which this statement is based, are as follows : 



1. Carbohydrates are grown upon the farm with relative ease but it is 

 difficult to grow enough protein to feed a large number of animals and to 

 balance the ration. 



2. The byproducts of several industries are notably rich in protein 

 and are sold at reasonable prices. Hence it is often cheaper to buy this 

 material than to raise it. 



3. It is usually in the line of economy to endeavor to grow carbohy- 

 drates in as large amounts as possible, and to buy protein in order to sup- 

 plement this growth, thus properly balancing the ration, provided the class 

 of cows to which the ration is fed are of the proper grade. 



Grain feeds. — What concentrates (grain feed) are advisable for dairy 

 feeding and what are undesirable ? And why ? 



Any saleable grain is worthy of consideration for growing. Corn, if 

 husked at all, may well be ground cob and all. Most farm-grown grains 

 are expensive as cow feed if saleable at fair prices. It should be remem- 

 bered that in buying the sundry byproducts the protein content is the 

 prime consideration, with others important but secondary. The buyer will 

 usually get better service for the same expenditure from the wheat offals 

 and the oil and glucose byproducts (cottonseed, linseeds, glutens) than 

 from corn meal, ready ground "provenders," oat feeds and the several pre- 

 pared " feeds," which afford relatively expensive protein. In this con- 

 nection the effects of sundry byproducts on animal and ration should 

 be borne in mind. Cottonseed meal is rich, and if fed in more than 

 moderate amount it may cause indigestion, garget, constipation, etc.; it is 

 death to pigs and tends to harden butter. Linseed is entirely safe, laxa- 

 tive, and softens butter decidedly. Glutens resemble cottonseed in gen- 

 eral effects but to a less degree, are safe for pigs, and, if they contain 

 much fat, tend to soften the butter. No rule can be laid down as to the 

 amounts which may be fed with safety. The writer thinks it wise to use 

 two rather than one of these byproducts that ill effects may be more surely 

 neutralized. These feeds should be used sparingly at the outset until the 

 digestive capabilities of the animal are gauged. The wheat offals and dis- 

 tillery byproducts — if dry — are, so far as is known, without effect for ill on 

 animal or product. 



