INSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FEEDSTUFFS 3 



suspicion either that it may be adulterated with oat hulls or that a very- 

 inferior grade of oats has been used. One lot sold as Elmore "Special" corn 

 and oats was found to contain 12.6 per cent of fiber. A sample of oats from 

 which this material was made was found to contain 16.8 per cent fiber and in 

 reality consisted very largely of oat cleanings. To many the word "special" 

 conveys the meaning of something superior and when used with a product of 

 this sort must be considered a misnomer. 



The Massachusetts Feeding Stuffs Act provides that "each package, lot 

 or parcel of commercial feeding stuff sold, offered, exposed or kept for sale or 

 distributed shall have affixed thereto in a conspicuous place a tag or label 

 containing a legible and plainly printed statement" of certain information 

 as set forth in the Act. This has been construed to allow this guarantee to be 

 printed directly on the sack or on an attached tag. It has become the general 

 custom where a tag is used to attach it by sewing when the bag is sewed up 

 by machine. Where the stitches pass through the printed matter the tag can- 

 not be considered legible. It is suggested that the printed matter on the tag 

 be so spaced as to allow for sewing without destroying legibility. 



The demand for the examination of special feeds for dogs, game reared 

 in captivity, rabbits and foxes is increasing. Whether or not such work comes 

 within our scope depends upon the definition of the terms "for feeding live 

 stock and poultry" as used in the Act. This wording of the Act should be 

 changed so as to be more explicit in its meaning or a ruling obtained to define 

 more clearly what kinds of animals and birds may be considered as being live 

 stock or poultry. 



The moisture content of feeds as given in this bulletin is that obtained at 

 the time the feeds are analyzed. It is probably true that small inspector's 

 samples will dry out to some extent between the time of sampling and analysis 

 and that feeds as found in dealers' stocks will contain a slightly higher water 

 content than reported. The difference is not great, however, and cannot be 

 easily avoided. 



