170 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Gentian. 

 Blood root. 

 Powdered charcoal. 

 Common salt. 

 Pepper. 



The beneficial drugs it did contain were in such small amounts, that 

 when given in tablespoonful doses there was not enough medicine present 

 to affect the animal in any way. 



The experiments* conducted by the Iowa and other State Experiment 

 Stations have not demonstrated that the benefits derived from the use of 

 such foods warrants the exorbitant outlay of money necessary for their 

 purchase. Many of the drugs of which these foods and tonics are com- 

 pounded are excellent remedies, when used in proper strength. Common 

 salt is a wonderful digestive and profitable lo use at 50 cents per hun- 

 dred pounds. The farmer is accustomed to feeding a little sulphur now 

 and then. Red pepper is not a bad remedy, nor is gentian, nor is char- 

 coal. But it is folly to buy these simple drugs heavily adulterated with 

 bran, shorts, pine bark or oil meal at $4.00 to $14.00 per hundred pounds, 

 simply because they contain a little foenugreek, anise, fennel or sassafras 

 to make them smell pleasant, and because the manufacturer says their 

 use will double the flow of milk of your cows, or will give your horses 

 those Dan Patch qualities that smash records. 



Opposed to the claims of manufacturers, we have the evidence from 

 experiments performed by the various stations: 



The Iowa Experiment Station found that the use of International 

 Stock Food increased the cost of beef production twenty-four per cent; 

 that Standard Stock Food, when fed to cattle, reduced the value of each 

 bushel of corn consumed twenty-four per cent, and increased the cost of 

 beef production eleven per cent. In another experiment, Standard Stock 

 Food, when fed to swine increased the value of each bushel of corn only 

 one and two-tenths per cent; that Iowa Stock Food decreased the value 

 of each bushel of corn fed one-half per cent. 



Pratt's Stock Food, fed at the Massachusetts Station, increased the 

 cost of milk and butter production ten per cent. Acme Stock Food, fed 

 at Kansas Station, increased the cost of butter fat production 18.7 per 

 cent. Globe Stock Food, fed at the same station, increased the cost of 

 butter fat production 6.3 per cent. At the Indiana Station, American Stock 

 Food was found to increase the cost of pork production 15.3 per cent. At 

 the same station, Rauh's Stock Food, fed in conjunction with Standard 

 Stock Food, decreased the cost of pork production nine-tenths of one per 

 cent. 



These condiments and tonics can be compounded by a local druggist 

 at a fraction of their present cost. 



Iowa is not only disregarding the maintenance of even an average 

 quality of the feetffe produced within her borders, but has become the 

 dumping-ground for those feed-stuffs that are of too inferior a quality to 

 meet the requirements of adjoining states, protected by a consistent feed- 

 ing-stuff inspection law. 



• We have not space at this point to po into the details of condimental 

 foods and tonics. Those interested will find the subject discussed fully at 

 the close of this report. 



