[NSPECTION OF COMMERCIAL FEEDSTUFFS 



By Feed Control Service Staff 



John W. Kuzmeski. Research Professor, Official Chemist 



Albert F. Spelman, Associate Research Professor 



C. Tyson Smith, Associate Research Professor, Microscopis 



Bertram Gerslen. Assislani Research Professor 



David F. Owen, Jr., Research Instructor 



Shirley J. Richards. Research Instructor 



Joseph Conkhn, Inspector 



Edward F. Vlach, Technical Assistant 



Paul Korpita, Laboratory Assiiant 



Doris A. Kennedy, Senior Cterk-Slenoiirapher 



INTRODUCTION 



The Massachuselts Feed Conlrol Service, as are the feed control services of other 

 states, is called upon to analyze a variety of materials used as feed. Farmers send in 

 samples of home-mixed feed, stale bread, bakery waste, silage hay, etc. These are 

 analyzed, and the results usually reported to the proper College of Agriculture 

 specialists who make recommendations for the most efficient use of such products 

 in the farmer's feeding program. 



The above are feeds that do not come under the provisions of the Massachusetts 

 Feed Law. 



The procedure is entirely different when requests are received for the analysis 

 of registered commercial feeds. 



If there is any question regarding the quality of a registered feed, the amount of 

 guaranteed ingredients present, or suspected toxicity of the feed, an analysis of a 

 sample submitted by the farmer serves no useful purpose. The analytical report on 

 such a sample has no legal status. 



In such cases the Feed Control Service's inspector is sent to get an official sample. 

 If sickness of livestock or a sudden drop in production is involved, extensive analyses 

 of feeds are made only at the recommendation of veterinarians or qualified feed 

 nutritionists. 



Whenever a lot of feed comes under reasonable suspicion as the cause of trouble, 

 the farmer should set aside at least five unopened bags, with tags intact, for subse- 

 quent sampling by the official inspector. 



It should be an elementary precaution on the farmer's part to consult a veterin- 

 arian or poultry pathologist at the first sign of sickness in his herd or flock. If the 

 feed is suspected, the manufacturer or dealer should make sure that the proper 

 specialist is called promptly. Enough feed should be retained for an official sample 

 even if the remainder of the lot is replaced by a new shipment. The Feed Control 

 Service should be notified immediately if the farmer's suspicion of the feed is con- 

 firmed by the disease specialist or nutritionist. 



Ill outlining the above procedure it is taken for granted that the feed manufac- 

 turer is aware of his responsibility to his customers, and will cooperate fully with 

 the control official in his effort to establish whether or not the feed is at fault and, 

 'f it is, what corrective action should be taken. 



