36 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



place of corn and oats. It is the quality of the feed that counts. 

 Every dairyman knows that to get the greatest economical results from 

 his herd requires a more or less constant definite proportion of the dif- 

 ferent nutrients in a feed. For example, to his ration consisting of corn 

 stalks and hay he adds bi'an in order that the excessive amounts of 

 carbohydrates (starchy material) in the fodders will be neutralized by 

 the protein of the bran. In this way he gets a balanced ration but 

 while it is impossible to establish an exact ratio of the compounds 

 in relation to the carbohydrates and fat yet there is a more or less 

 fixed proportion of the materials that it is decidedly economical to 

 maintain in the ration. 



There are few feeders and dairymen who, in order to establish a 

 more or less balanced ration, do not buy some of the so-called commer- 

 cial feeding stuffs and they buy these materials in order to supply 

 an ingredient not furnished by the feeds they grow. This ingredient 

 is protein. Numerous experiments have demonstrated and feeders will 

 recognize that dairy cows ^d fattening stock require considerable pro- 

 tein in their daily feed — more than is found present in the hay, corn 

 stalks, straw, etc., usually found on the Michigan farms. The feeder 

 goes into the market and purchases commercial feeding stuffs to supply 

 this lack of protein. He does not buy foods containing a large excess 

 of fats, starches and fibre because the grains and roughages on his 

 own farm supply sufficiency of these materials. But he does buy 

 protein because that is what his home-grown feeds lack and what his 

 stock demand. 



Now it certainly makes a great difference to him whether he gets 

 feed containing what he expects it to contain. It assuredly makes 

 a difference to him if, when buying a feed supposed to contain twenty 

 per cent, of portein it, on analysis, shows but five per cent. The feeder 

 has been defrauded because he has paid for an article of high value 

 and received something practically valueless. His stock have been 

 defrauded because they have been compelled to eat an excessive amount 

 of roughage to get the necessary nourishment for their sustenance. Thp 

 fraud may not show in the feed to the naked eye but it is bound to 

 show in the milk pail or on the block. 



Michigan is becoming each year more of a stock and dairy State 

 and it is well located in this respect, with easy access to the large 

 city markets. The amounts of commercial feed stuffs, mill products 

 and by-products sold is becoming enormous. Our border states and 

 states in the east have, by law, required the licensing of such mixed feeds 

 and, in consequence, Michigan is becoming the dumping ground for 

 these low grade materials which will not stand the test in other states. 

 As a result, when the Michigan stockman goes into the market for a 

 concentrated feed for his animals, he is obliged to take the sweepings of 

 some oatmeal factory, consisting of finely ground oat-hulls, dust, etc., 

 or some mixture containing excessive amounts of ground corn-cobs 

 and materials masquerading as legitimate and valuable feeds. I say 

 he is obliged to take these materials because he has no way of dis- 

 criminating. The naked eye will not tell him and there is no responsible 

 certificate on the bags that gives him a correct idea. 



In December, 1902, a bulletin, No. 203, was published by this expe- 

 riment station showing the analyses of a few of these feeds that we 



