194 FEEDING STUFFS 



Mixed Feeds and Manufactured Products. — Certain classes 

 of products designed for poultry feeding are manufactured in 

 different sections of the United States. In some instances it has 

 not been proved that these materials are objectionable, but in 

 nearly every case experiments show that the ingredients which 

 are supposed to be furnished can be more economically secured 

 from natural sources. A great variety of so-called ready-mixed 

 feeds are advertised. They are supposed to contain a given amount 

 of nutrients in a very economical form. In practice a great major- 

 ity of such feeds should be avoided, as many of them are adultera- 

 tions containing a large amount of filler and make-weight material. 

 Analyses made at various experiment stations show the following 

 materials to be occasionally used in such feeds: Oat hulls, ground 

 peanut shucks, cut straw and hay, sand, and other foreign sub- 

 stances, which are used to increase the bulk and the weight of 

 the feed. It is a much more economical practice for poultry- 

 men to purchase the standard grains and by-products and do 

 their own mixing. Any plan which will lower the grain bill will 

 be helpful. 



Animal Feeds. — Leading authorities agree that, for the best 

 results in poultry feeding, the birds should be given protein and 

 other nutrients from animal as well as from vegetable sources. 

 All feeding experiments show that where animal protein is entirely 

 withheld the birds do not make so good nor economical growth, 

 and cannot be made to produce as many eggs in a given period. 

 There are several sources from which nutrients of an animal origin 

 can be obtained. Their use depends somewhat on location and 

 upon the price of the different ingredients in local markets. 



Meat scrap is undoubtedly the most popular of the different 

 forms of animal matter for poultry. There are many grades on 

 the market, which may be grouped as high grade or low grade. 



The high-grade meat usually contains about 60 per cent of 

 protein and the low-grade about 35 to 40 per cent. It will always 

 be found more economical to purchase high-grade meat scrap, as 

 the price per pound of protein will be less. Then, too, the high- 

 grade meat is usually more sanitary and better prepared. A com- 

 mercial practice is to cook the carcasses or pieces of meat under 

 steam pressure for a given number of hours, to render out the fat. 

 This sterilizes them completely and kills any bacteria of a detri- 

 mental nature which might be present. Scrap prepared in this 

 way is not apt to contain poisonous matter. On the other hand, 



