MISCELLANEOUS FEED 213 



ferent experiment stations, and the results, obtained in the trials are 

 given in the publications of these stations and may be studied by all 

 interested. The author made an investigation of the main stock 

 feeds on the American market several years ago and compiled the 

 results obtained on all experiments that were conducted with them 

 up to that time in this and foreign countries. In these experiments 

 992 farm animals were included in all, viz., 78 steers, 81 dairy cows, 

 604 sheep, 112 pigs, and 117 hens. Out of the 23 different trials 

 compiled, only two showed the stock feed to possess any merit, and 

 the interpretation of the result of the two exceptions is open to 

 question. The evidence is, therefore, practically unanimous against 

 the use of condimental stock feeds, and goes to show that, when fed 

 under conditions similar to those that prevailed in these experi- 

 ments, the addition of a stock feed to the ration is a positive dis- 

 advantage, both with reference to the production of the animals and 

 the relative cost of the production. 



Home-made Stock Tonics. If a farmer considers it necessary 

 to use stock feeds for animals in poor condition of health, off feed, 

 or ailing in one way or another, that is not plainly a case for a 

 veterinarian to attend to, it would seem that the better plan would 

 be to buy the separate ingredients at a drug store and mix them in 

 the proportions indicated below. He will save money thereby and 

 will have the satisfaction of knowing just what he is feeding his 

 stock and of feeding it in a much more concentrated form than in 

 the case of commercial preparations. The following three mixtures of 

 drugs, etc., have been suggested by the Vermont and Iowa stations 8 : 



Formula 1. Ground gentian, one pound; ground ginger, *4 pound; 

 powdered saltpeter, % pound; powdered iron sulfate, *4 pound. Mix and 

 give one tablespoonful in feed once daily for ten days, omit for three days, 

 and feed as above for ten days more. 



Formula 2. Fenugreek % pound ; ginger, V^ pound ; powdered gentian, 

 % pound ; powdered sulfur, % pound ; potassium nitrate, % pound ; resin, y% 

 pound ; cayenne pepper % pound ; ground flaxseed meal, 3 pounds ; powdered 

 charcoal, 1% pounds; common salt, 1% pounds; wheat bran, 6 pounds. 



Formula 3. Powdered gentian and ginger, 1 pound each; fenugreek, 

 5 pounds; common salt, 10 pounds; bran, 50 pounds; oil meal, 50 pounds. 



Summary 9 . The evidence at hand with regard to condimental 

 stock feeds shows that there is practical unanimity of opinion 

 among scientific men who have given the subject special study, in 

 regard to these so-called feeds or tonics. 



8 Vt. Bui. 104; la. Bulletin 87. A condition powder for beef cattle 

 is given by Mumford in his " Beef Production " ( p. 98 ) . 



9 Condensed from Wisconsin Bulletin 151, " Condimental Stock Feeds," 

 by the author (May, 1907, 40 pp.). Bibliography on these "stock feeds" 

 up to 1907 is given in this Bulletin. 



