6 The Feeding of Animals 



forced him into a new range of thought and practice. 

 This influx of knowledge has greatl}^ influenced the 

 requirements for meeting a sharpened competition and 

 has rendered it imperative for the practitioner to bring 

 to bear upon a great variety of agricultural problems 

 a clear understanding of fundamental facts and prin- 

 ciples. 



The feeding of animals involves many difficult ques- 

 tions. These begin with the production of forage and 

 grain crops where it is necessary to discover what ones 

 will yield the largest food values per unit of expendi- 

 ture. Economy demands that the several feeding stuff's 

 which are at command shall be so combined that there 

 shall be no waste of material or energy. With several 

 considerations in view, a decision must be reached as 

 to the most profitable commercial foods to purchase 

 when the number is large and the range of prices is 

 wide. The influence of the various foods upon the 

 quality of the product, especially dairy products, has 

 in recent years become an important matter. These 

 and related problems confront the stockman and dairy- 

 man, and they demand for their wise solution more than 

 what is ordinarily designated as practical experience. 

 The investigator who shall successfully inquire into 

 these matters must possess scientific qualifications of 

 a high order; and the practical man, who, in a busi- 

 ness way, conforms his methods to the highest stand- 

 ard which scientific research has already made possible 

 must be familiar w^ith the knowledge fundamental to 

 the feeder's art. 



