24 



Stock Food. 



Several samples of what are usually termed "stock food" have been 

 examined. A glance at the above table will show that in some there is 

 a very fair quantity of protein and fat, but it must be remembered that 

 the cost of the nutritive components of foods when purchased in such 

 form is much in advance of their real value. Moreover, the claims that 

 by the use of condiments and spices the digestibility of other compon- 

 ents of the ration can be increased and in this way a saving of food can 

 be effected, have no basis in fact. As foods, pure and simple, therefore, 

 the prices paid for stock foods are ridiculously high when compared with 

 the price paid for some of our most expensive standard foods. 



Another important point is the ash. As was pointed out the quan- 

 tity of ash in a food for young and growing animals is very important. 

 The ash of most of our home grown foods and the ash of ma^y of the 

 by-products of our mills furnish a very fair amount of bone forming 

 material. A glance at the above figures shows that all of the stock foods 

 examined contain very large quantities of ash. In most cases, however, 

 the ash of condimental foods contains considerable quantities of potas- 

 sium salts, which tax the excretory organs of the animal and are, there- 

 fore, a decided detriment. 



Another claim made by dealers in stock food is that such foods are 

 of a medicinal or stimulating nature, and are claimed to be particularly 

 effective and valuable, not only for growing animals, but also for cows 

 in milk and for horses. This claim, however, should carry very little 

 weight with the intelligent feeder, since it is a well established fact that 

 healthy animals need no medicine or stimulant. 



The writer does not mean to insinuate that stock foods should not be 

 used under any circumstances. On the contrary, we believe that they 

 have their places. For example, feeders who are fitting their stock for 

 the show have successfully used stock foods. Their place, therefore, ap- 

 pears to be in a ration for show animals, but probably it would be better 

 to use such foods only in the last stages of the fitting process. 



It is claimed by certain prominent feeders that a better bloom can be 

 obtained by the use of small, and limited quantities of some stock food in 

 the last stages of feeding. It must be remembered, however, that such 

 feeders do not consider the cost of a feeding-stuff, and in such cases as 

 these in which the cost of the food can be overlooked, stock foods may 

 be used. 



The following shows the composition of two substances from which 

 it was proposed to manufacture a stock food. Readers will be struck 

 at once with the comparatively small quantity of nutritive material 

 which such a mixture would contain. As stated before, the claims that 

 such foods increase the digestibility of other fodders have no basis in 

 fact. Furthermore, the purchaser of stock foods is frequently assured 

 that the secretion of the digestive fluids is very greatly increased by the 

 use of certain condiments. That such, in certain instances, may be the 

 case we have no doubt, but the price paid for these foods is likely to be 

 far in advance of the gain. 



