106 



Feeds and Feeding. 



composition, that may aid in the support of animal life. Crude pro- 

 tein, the carbohydrates, and fat constitute the generally recognized 

 classes of nutrients, altho air, water, and mineral matter might 

 likewise be so termed. Gluten, starch, sugar, etc., are also nutri- 

 ents. The relative availability and therefore usefulness and value 

 of any given nutrient is necessarily not fixed, but varies with cir- 

 cumstances. Fiber is a nutrient, yet the fiber in hay is almost 

 valueless to the calf when very young, because its digestive organs 

 cannot utilize it. With the horse the same material is partially, 

 and with the ox still more largely, digestible. The term digestible 

 nutrient covers that portion of each nutrient which is digested and 

 taken into the body, as determined by digestion trials with various 

 mature animals. 



128. Nutrients in feeding stuffs. From the extensive data given 

 in Table I of the Appendix, showing the total nutrients in feeding 

 stuffs, Example Table I follows for illustration : 



Example Table I, showing the total nutrients in 100 Ibs. of various com- 

 mon feeding stuffs. 



The table shows that, on the average, 100 Ibs. of field-cured corn 

 stover contains 40.5 Ibs. of water, while the same weight of oat 

 straw has but 9.2 Ibs. The next column shows that 100 Ibs. of 

 stover contains 3.8 Ibs. of crude protein, while the same weight of 

 oat straw has 4 Ibs. Were it not for the large amount of water in 

 stover its crude protein would exceed that of straw. Stover con- 

 tains 19.7 Ibs. of fiber, while oat straw has nearly twice that amount, 

 and corn grain but 2.2 Ibs. per 100 Ibs. Among the grains, oats 

 are relatively high in fiber because of the woody hull which sur- 

 rounds the kernels. One hundred Ibs. of corn contains 70.4 Ibs. 

 of nitrogen-free extract, principally starch. The roughages are 

 usually low in fat, while corn and oats are relatively high. 



