228 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



been fed as the sole grain ration to working horses, a con- 

 siderable proportion of the grain was voided undigested, 

 and in time there was a decided tendency to digestive de- 

 rangement. It would seem probable, however, that wheat 

 ground and fed with oats ground or unground, up to the ex- 

 tent of one-half the ration, would make an excellent grain 

 food for horses. 



Contrasted with corn, it may be said that wheat is su- 

 perior; (i) As a food for young animals and for cows in 

 milk, since it is richer in protein and ash; (2) as being a 

 safer grain food during the early stages of fattening, be- 

 cause it is relatively lower in its fat content, and, therefore, 

 does not tend so much to put animals off feed; (3) it is 

 equal or about equal to corn in making increase with cat- 

 tle, sheep and swine while being fattened, and it furnishes 

 meat somewhat superior to that furnished by corn, having 

 more muscle in it. 



Corn is superior to wheat: (i) In its fattening quali- 

 ties; (2) in that it may usually be fed without grinding and 

 (3) in that it may usually be obtained more cheaply. They 

 are about equal in palatability. Wheat is grown over a 

 wider area than corn and can be grown in a drier and cooler 

 climate. While it is probable that it will seldom be found 

 advisable in the future to feed wheat of good quality to 

 stock, because of the price, it will always be in order to 

 feed damaged wheat as when shrunken by rust or by frost. 

 Such wheat has a higher muscle-producing content than 

 good wheat. In some localities, it may be found that grow- 

 ing wheat with other grain for food for stock will be the 

 cheapest method of obtaining bran or its equivalent. 



Oats. Viewed from the standpoint of general adapta- 

 tion for feeding live stock, no cereal grown in this country 

 will compare with the oat. It is preeminently the grain 

 food for horses. In milk production, it is almost equally 

 valuable. It may be made to constitute a large proportion 

 of the ration in fattening cattle and sheep, and it is useful 

 as a factor in feeding swine, but not so useful relatively as 



