310 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



feed are not all changed into animal products. Some of the 

 feed is used to maintain or carry on the digestion. There is 

 always a loss. Any material capable of building up tissue 

 or of replacing this loss, in whole or in part, is valuable as 

 feed for the animal. 



Nutrients. — ^Any single compound, like protein or fat, 

 is called a nutrient. All feeds must contain nutrients. They 

 must be palatable, so stock will hke them. . They should be 

 largely digestible. Some of the feed each day must possess 

 enough bulk to properly fill or distend the digestive organs. 



Roughage and Concentrates. — It is common to divide 

 all animal feeds into two classes : coarse fodders or roughage, 

 and concentrated feeds. By roughage is meant such bulky 

 feeds as hay, cornstalks, straw, and green fodders. 



Concentrated feeds are the more highly nourishing mate- 

 rials with less bulk. Ground or whole grains, peas, bran, 

 middlings, and other mill products are concentrates. 



Hay. — Those forms of hay produced from the true 

 grasses, as orchard grass, red top and timothy, are rich in 

 carbohydrates and indigestible fiber, but contain very little 

 protein. Hay made from alfalfa and clover is nearly as 

 bulky, but much richer in protein than the others. 



The value of any hay depends upon the kind or variety, 

 the condition at time of cutting, and the success in curing. 



Corn Stalks and Straw. — These are very bulky forms of 

 roughage and are so rich in fiber that they are harder to 

 digest than good hay. The nutritive matter that first existed 

 in the growing crop has passed into the seeds, which have 

 been removed. This leaves the straw poorer in both protein 

 and carbohydrates. Corn grown for fodder, if the ears are 

 not to be removed, should be cut as soon as the grain is well 

 glazed. Racks for feeding corn fodder and straw are shown 

 in Fig. 211. 



Green Forage Crops. — The growing of crops for green 

 forage has been discussed in another chapter. Such feeds are 



