NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FEEDING STUFFS 51 



classes of farm animals than steers, 5 nor indeed to other conditions 

 of fattening steers than where these are fed moderate rations, at 

 the early stage of the fattening period. 6 



The starch values very likely furnish substantially correct in- 

 formation for the study of rations and the feed requirements for 

 fattening cattle, and may be safely adopted for this purpose. They 

 are less reliable for growing animals and, especially, for milch cows, 

 and due credit is not given to high-protein feeds and rations when 

 these values are applied to the feeding of these animals. 



A comparison of the figures, e.g., for Indian corn (starch value, 

 88.8 therms), 7 oil meal (78.9), pea meal (71.8), dried brewers' 

 grains (60.0), wheat bran (48.2), and malt sprouts (46.3), will 

 at once show that the figures do not express the true relative nutritive 

 values of these feeds for the purposes stated. The explanation of 

 the apparent discrepancies very likely is to be sought in the fact 

 that in case of milk-producing and growing animals the protein of 

 the feed possesses a higher value than for fattening. In the latter 

 case the animal utilizes only the difference between the total energy 

 of the digestible protein and that of the solids in the urine, while 

 in the former a considerable proportion of the protein is changed 

 directly into milk and flesh proteins. Instead of calculating the 

 starch values on the basis of one pound protein equals 0.94 starch 

 value, it has been proposed by Hansson 8 to allow the full energy 

 value of protein, viz., 1.43 ; this method appears to make the starch 

 value system applicable also to milch cows. 



The Kellner-Armsby's standards for feeding farm animals are 

 given in Part III, under the respective classes of animals. 



5 Zuntz, Mo. Bulletin International Institute of Agriculture, v 

 (1914), No. 4, p. 440; Landw. Jahrb., 44, p. 761; Pott, " Handb. tier. 

 Ernahrung," vol. 3, ii, p. iv. The following quotation from Farmers' 

 Bulletin 346 by Armsby is also of interest in this connection : " The 

 Kellner production values . . . show primarily the value of these different 

 feeding stuffs for the production of gain in mature fattening cattle. Even 

 for this purpose many of them are confessedly approximate estimates, and 

 still less can they be regarded as strictly accurate for other kinds of animals 

 and other purposes of feeding. Nevertheless, there seems to be reason 

 for believing that they also represent fairly well the relative values of 

 feeding stuffs for sheep at least, and probably for horses, and for 

 growth and milk production as well as for fattening. . . . As regards 

 swine, the matter is far less certain, and it may perhaps be questioned 

 whether the values given in the table are any more satisfactory for this 

 animal than the older ones." See also Armsby, Cycl. Amer. Agr., vol. iii, 

 p. 67, and Murray, " Chemistry of Cattle Feeding and Dairying," p. 222. 



6 Wood and Yule, Journal Agr. Science, v, 1914, p. 248. 



7 Table IV in Appendix.- 



8 Centralanst. Ber., Stockholm, No. 85. 



