76 . PROFITABLE DAIRYING 



Most skilled feeders agree that two feeds a day are 

 better than feeding oftener. Some favor a light feed 

 of hay or straw at noon, but the majority favor the 

 two daily feeds. Buckwheat straw properly cured 

 contains more food value than good oat straw. It 

 has about 25 per cent, more protein than oat straw. 



BALANCING A RATION 



The table below shows the constituents of some of 

 the feeds used in forming a balanced ration. A full 

 list is at the end of the book. Wheat bran, wheat 

 middlings, corn-meal, gluten feed, oats, pea-meal, 

 cotton-seed meal, oil-cake are among the most avail- 

 able foods for this purpose. Nearly all, except corn- 

 meal, are highly nitrogenous, hence must be balanced 

 with corn-meal, which is low in protein and high in 

 carbohydrates. The word " protein/' " nitrogenous," 

 and "albuminoid " all refer to the same elements 

 which are commonly called "protein." 



PROTEIN 



This is the constituent food used to build up and 

 keep in repair the working tissues of the body. In 

 other words, it supplies the material for the growth 

 of tissue. This includes blood, bone, flesh, and hair. 

 Protein also forms a large part of the solids in milk. 

 It is indispensable for all these purposes; no sub- 

 stance can take its place. If, however, more is fed 

 than is needed for these various purposes, the excess 

 is consumed like carbohydrates. 



