CHAPTER XXXV. 



COMPOSITION OF FEEDING STUFFS. 



THE table which follows has been taken mainly from Prof. 

 Henry's " Feeds and Feeding." The table is not complete, 

 but it covers most of the feed-stuffs which are at all likely to 

 be used for hogs, and a number which are not suitable for hogs 

 are included for purposes of comparison. 



It will be noted that the table gives the composition of the 

 feed-stuffs, and not the digestible constituents. There are 

 three main reasons, for using this style of table in preference 

 to- one showing digestible constituents. In the first place, 

 digestion trials are usually conducted with ruminants (sheep 

 or cattle), and the digestive powers of ruminants, in some 

 cases at least, are different from the digestive powers of the 

 hog ; consequently the table might be misleading if it purported 

 to show the digestible matter only. In the second place, digestion 

 trials have not been made with all of the feed-stuffs mentioned. 

 Finally, in the case of feed-stuffs which are sold under guaran- 

 tee, it is the composition and not the digestible matter which 

 is shown in the analysis, therefore, when purchasing feeds, a 

 table showing the composition of feed-stuffs would be much 

 more valuable for purposes of comparison than one showing 

 digestible matter. 



Ash represents the mineral matter in the feed, and is useful 

 in building up the skeleton of the growing animal. 



Crude protein is the nitrogenous part of the feed, and is 

 useful in forming muscle or lean meat, blood, milk, and nearly 

 all tissues. 



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