24 



THE GRAIN PROBLEM 



By J. B. LiNDSEY 



Purchased grain is one of the most important items affecting 

 the cost of producing milk, young stock, horses or poultry. 

 In these days of abnormal prices, the feeder of any kind of live 

 stock should know so far as possible the relative values of all 

 grains and by-products available for feeding purposes. In this 

 article I wish to speak of the relative values of different grains, 

 by-products and proprietary mixtures for the production of 

 milk. 



A. GRAINS AND BY-PRODUCTS 



The dairy cow is fed first to maintain her body weight and 

 second to produce milk. If she receives only sufficient food to 

 maintain her weight, she cannot yield milk unless temporarily she 

 takes the fat and flesh from her body for the purpose. 



Why Grain is Needed. For both economical and physiological 

 reasons, a considerable portion of the daily ration should be com- 

 posed of roughage because such materials are easily and cheaply 

 produced on the farm and because the digestive tract of the bovine 

 is particularly suited to utiHze them. 



Most of the home-grown coarse feeds, however, are quite high 

 in carbohydrates (starchy matter), low in protein, and have 

 a relatively low • digestibility. It is necessary, therefore, to sup- 

 plement them with the cereal grains which, though low in 

 protein, are very digestible, and, to an extent, with the con- 

 centrated by-products which in addition to a high digestibihty are 

 quite rich in protein. In other words, if roughage alone is fed, one 

 secures bulk, but not enough digestible or actual food material and 

 not sufficient protein; or, stated in another way, grain is fed to 

 supply the necessary digestible matter and protein lacking in the 

 roughage. 



Feeds on the Market. The farmer finds upon the market 

 the cereal grains, oil seed residues, by-products from milling, 

 starch, sugar and fermentation industries as well as many 

 proprietary feeds made from them, and frequently he is at a loss 

 to know what to purchase. 



The Most Suitable Feeds. It is the belief of the writer that 

 as a rule it is more economical for the farmer to buy the staple 



