REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 

 ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF MINERAL MATTER 



AND THE VALUE OF GRIT 



FOR CHICKS.* 



W. p. WHEELER. 



SUMMARY. 



Because of the importance of the mineral nutrients in poultry feed- 

 ing, experiments have been made to ascertain what deficiencies may 

 exist in ordinary foods. 



For chicks the benefit of certain animal foods was found to be 

 sometimes chiefly due to the mineral matter they contain. Bone ash 

 was found to supply a deficiency existing in most grain rations. It is 

 desirable to know to what extent certain inorganic material of this 

 kind is of direct nutritive value and how much it is of purely mechani- 

 cal assistance. 



As a help toward information in this line feeding experiments were 

 made, some of which, with chicks, gave the results here reported. 



The mixing of sand in the food — both in a ration containing animal 

 food and one without — resulted in better health for the chicks and 

 more efficient use of the food. 



The addition of raw, ground Florida rock phosphate and sand to 

 rations both with and without animal food resulted in better growth 

 and more efficient use of food than when sand alone was added. 



''A reprint of Bulletin No. 242. 



