8 The Bulletin. 



PURCHASIIVG lEEDS. 



The present high prices of feeds have created a market for low- 

 grade materials, that is, materials low in protein and fat and high 

 in fiber, which under other circumstances would not find a ready sale. 

 While many of these feeds are of good quality, so far as maintaining 

 their guarantee is concerned, still the average farmer grows sufficient 

 hay, straw and other materials low in protein and fat to supply his 

 needs, and it is therefore to his advantage in buying concentrated 

 feeds not to buy a feed low in protein and fat and high in fiber, but 

 to get the largest possible amount of protein and fat for the money 

 invested. This can best be done by paying strict attention to the 

 guarantees made for the different brands of feeds and comparing 

 them with the analyses of the same brands made by this Department, 

 and buying only those which come up to the guarantees. Then if the 

 prices of several feeds, all of which come up to the guarantees, are 

 compared with the guarantees, and the one selected which gives the 

 largest amount of protein and fat and the smallest amount of fiber 

 for the money invested, the purchaser will in this way get the best 

 returns for his money. 



Every feed dealer, to protect himself and his trade, should insist 

 on feeds being shipped him in strict compliance with the law. If he 

 will do this and not buy from those manufacturers who do not comply 

 with the law, he will save considerable trouble and inconvenience by 

 having his feeds seized and confiscated by feed inspectors. 



THE CHEMISTRY OF FEEDS. 



In the chemical analysis of feeds the following determinations are 

 made: protein, fat, fiber, nitrogen-free extract, moisture and ash. 

 Without going into a detailed description of the chemical properties 

 of these classes of substances, the following general discussion will 

 be found valuable in interpreting the analysis of commercial feeds : 



PROTEIN. 



The term protein or crude protein as used in feed analysis includes 

 all the nitrogenous compounds contained in the feed. These com- 

 pounds are divided, chemically, into two classes — the true proteins 

 and the amido compounds. Familiar examples of the true proteins 

 are the white of egg, lean meat and the gluten of flour. In seeds 

 and cereal products the amido compounds are present in very small 

 amount, and hence all the nitrogen is regarded as present in the form 

 of protein. The protein compounds contain, approximately, 16 per 

 cent of nitrogen, so to determine the amount of protein in a feed the 

 total amount of nitrogen is determined, and this, multiplied by the 

 factor 6.25, gives the amount of protein. 



The pi-otein compounds are of very great importance in feeds, for 

 it is from them that the animal derives the nitrogenous materials 

 from which its muscular tissues are built. 



