THE COMPOSITION OF FEEDING STUFFS 11 



in abundance in the sap of green and young plants, especially after 

 sprouting, as well as in all immature plant materials. The best 

 known amides are asparagin, found in young asparagus, peas and 

 beans ; glutamin and betain, found in the beet root, etc. The amides 

 are intermediate products formed in the living plant from inorganic 

 materials (nitric acid or ammonia), and are later changed into com- 

 plex protein substances. They are also formed in the decomposition 

 of proteins through the action of bacteria and molds, hence are 

 always present in silage and other fermented feeds. 



In contradistinction to total or crude protein (i.e.,, total nitrogen 

 multiplied by 6.25), the protein substances other than amides and 

 amino-acids are called true proteins. 



The amides are considered of inferior value in feeding farm 

 animals by some authorities, but it has been shown that they will save 

 body protein from decomposition, and, in some cases at least, they can 

 be utilized for the building up of protein tissues in the animal body. 

 Amides are also present in small amounts in dry feeds and in most 

 concentrates. The average proportion of non-protein (" amide") 

 nitrogen in various feeds is as follows : Green forage crops, 20 to 40 

 per cent of the total nitrogen content, according to the stage when 

 cut ; corn silage, 30 to 40 per cent; mangels, 60 per cent; potatoes, 40 

 per cent; malt sprouts, 30 per cent; small grains, 3 to 11 per cent; 

 mill feeds, 10 per cent, and oil meals, 4 per cent. 



High- and Low-protein Feeds. Feeds rich in protein sub- 

 stances are spoken of as high-protein feeds or simply protein feeds 

 or nitrogenous feeds, and those low in protein are called low-protein 

 or starchy feeds. Among the high-protein feeds may be mentioned 

 the following groups : 



Concentrates. Peanut cake meal, containing about 48 per cent 

 protein; cotton-seed meal and soybean meal, 40 to 45 per cent; 

 gluten meal, soybeans and linseed meal, 34 to 36 per cent; dried 

 distillers' grains, 32 per cent; malt sprouts and dried brewers' grains, 

 26 per cent. 



Coarse Feeds. Pea hay, 22.9 per cent ; vetch and sweet clover, IS 

 per cent; alfalfa hay, white and crimson clover, 15 per cent. 



As examples of low-protein feeds may be given : 



Concentrates. Cereal grains, 10 to 12 per cent; dried beet pulp, 

 and corn and cob meal, 8 to 9 per cent; rice, 7.4 per cent. 



Coarse Feeds. Timothy hay, 5.9 per cent; hay from mixed 

 grasses and Hungarian grass, 6 to 8 per cent; barley hay and oat 

 hay, 8 to 9 per cent; straw from the cereals, 3 to 4 per cent; corn 

 stover, 1 to 2 per cent; corn silage, 2.7 per cent (see Fig. 8, p. 42) . 



