CHAPTER III 



PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN SELECTING 

 FOODS 



In selecting foods for feeding farm animals, for what- 

 soever purpose they may be kept, certain principles 

 should be observed which have the strength of law. 

 Prominent among these are the following: (i) The aim 

 should be to choose foods so that they may be fed in 

 approximate equilibrium as to their constituents; (2) the 

 equilibrium or balance in foods varies much with the 

 class of animals to which they are fed, with the age of the 

 animals in the same class, and with the object sought 

 from feeding them; (3) under some conditions it may be 

 more profitable to feed foods out of balance than in 

 equilibrium as to their constituents; (4) the chemical 

 analysis of a food is not in itself a complete measure of 

 its value for feeding; (5) when choosing foods a due re- 

 gard must be had to the proportion of bulk or concentra- 

 tion in the same with reference to the end sought 

 from feeding them in order to obtain the best results; (6) 

 succulent foods are more favorable to milk production 

 than those of similar analysis as to nutrients, but lacking 

 in succulence; (7) variety in foods will produce returns 

 more satisfactory than will those of similar analysis, but 

 lacking in variety when fed for long periods; (8) the 

 value of foods is influenced by the nutrients they contain, 

 by the condition of the nutrients as to digestibility, by 

 the influence which they exert on development and pro- 

 duction, and by the fertility which they furnish. 



Equilibrium in foods. Equilibrium in foods means the 

 possession of nutrients in such proportion as are neces- 

 sary to meet the needs of the animals to which they are 



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