72 LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM 



is a plowed field after it has become dry on the surface hotter 

 than an adjoining field covered with green grass? Simply 

 because the grass is taking the heat and other energy as it 

 comes from the sun and bottling it up; storing it in the form 

 of nutrients. In this form it is not preceptible until the 

 material such as the plants themselves or their seeds decay 

 or are burned or metabolized. 



The heat from the sun falling upon the plowed field or 

 desert is not thus stored away and simply makes the surface 

 of the earth and the air next to it that much hotter. 



Carbohydrate Feeds. — All natural feeds contain more or 

 less of carbohydrate material. But those, as shown previously, 

 which are rich in protein are called protein feeds. On the 

 other hand, those that are not rich in protein are called carbo- 

 hydrate feeds. 



The principal carbohydrate feeds are corn, rye, wheat, 

 barley, oats, buckwheat, caffir corn, speltz, rice, middlings, 

 corn stover or silage, timothy, prairie or meadow hay, straw, 

 etc. The rule to be followed in using these feeds in feeding 

 animals on a farm is first to make as much use of the coarse 

 feeds or roughages as is possible because these are the cheaper 

 feeds. These feeds, however, should not be used exclusively. 

 They are coarse and bulky, occupying considerable space, and 

 on account of their woody nature are hard to digest. This 

 requires considerable energy; consequently the animals fed 

 largely upon roughages cannot do well. This is true because 

 in the first place they cannot eat as much, and second, a large 

 part of their feed goes to digest what they eat. Some persons 

 say that the more an animal eats of certain coarse feeds under 

 certain conditions, as for instance wheat or rye straw fed in 

 summer, the worse off it is. This is true because it requires 

 more energy to digest and metabolize or use the material than 

 they get out of it. Still, farmers generally know that at least 

 in winter some animals can be maintained upon such straws. 



The things to bear in mind with these carbohydrates is to 

 feed the animals enough roughages and concentrates to get the 

 desired results. If the animals are to be fattened they should 

 have as much as they can make use of to good advantage. If 

 they are simply to be maintained they should be fed enough 

 to keep up the desired amount of flesh. 



