26 VERMONT DAIRYMEN'S REPORT. 



CATTLE FOODS. 



Dr. J. B. Lindsey, Chemist, Mass. Agl. Exp. Station, 



Amherst, Mass. 



Gentlemen of The Vermont Dairymen's Association : 



I desire to talk with you in a very informal way concerning 

 some of the more important cattle foods which can be utilized 

 by the farmer for the economical production of dairy products. 



As feeders we deal with two great classes of feed stuffs, the 

 coarse feeds and the concentrated feeds. 



A. OF WHAT ARE CATTLE FOODS COMPOSED. 



All cattle foods, either concentrated or coarse, are made up 

 of six groups of substances : Water, ash, cellulose or fiber, fat, 

 protein and non-nitrogenous extract matter. 



Water. The green coarse fodders contain 60 to 80 per cent 

 of water, the dry fodders from 12 to 20 per cent, and the con- 

 centrated feeds, as found in our markets, from 8 to 15 per cent. 



Crude Ash represents the mineral ingredients of the feed. 

 It will remain behind as ashes, should the feed be burned. 

 These ashes consist of lime, potash, soda, iron, phosphoric acid 

 and sulphuric acid. 



Crude Cellulose or Fiber is the coarse or woody part of the 

 plant. It may be called the plant's framework. It is present 

 as a rule only to a limited extent in the grains and by-products. 



Crude Fat includes not only the various fats and oils found 

 in different feed stuffs, but also waxes, resins and coloring mat- 

 ters. It is sometimes termed ether-extract, because it repre- 

 sents that portion of the plant soluble in ether. Fat found in 

 grains and seeds is comparatively free from foreign substances 

 (waxes, resins, etc.) 



Crude Protein is the general name for all the nitrogenous 

 matters of the seed. It corresponds to the lean meat in the 

 animal, and may be termed "vegetable meat". It has the 

 same elementary composition as animal flesh, and is considered 

 the most valuable part of concentrated feeds. 



Non-nitrogenous Extract Matter consists of sugars, starch, 

 gums, etc. The grains are very rich in starch and similar sub- 

 stances. 



Carbohydrates. The fiber and extract matter have the 

 same functions in the process of nutrition, and collectively they 

 are termed carbohydrates. 



