356 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



The necessity for grinding grain, based on the nature 

 of the grain, is greatest with seeds naturally small and hard, 

 as the seeds of the sorghums and of those that in addition 

 contain large quantities of oil, as flax seed, millet seed and 

 foxtail seed. Both properties resist the action of the 

 gastric fluids when unbroken in mastication, hence they 

 pass through the digestive tract to no good purpose, while 

 meantime they have put a tax upon the energies of the sys- 

 tem while in transit through it. The small cereal grains, 

 which are most improved by grinding, are those which are 

 smallest and hardest and which are possessed of the least 

 amount of soft hull. The necessity for grinding wheat, for 

 instance, is much greater than that for grinding oats. Corn, 

 more than any other grain except oats, may be fed without 

 grinding, but when it is to be fed in combination with other 

 grain, it is usually profitable to grind it. It is absolutely nec- 

 essary to do so when corn and cob are both fed. 



Virtually all kinds of grain should be ground when 

 fed to calves, the exception under some conditions being 

 oats. All kinds of grain when separated from the straw, 

 should be ground for beef cattle. The exceptions, but 

 under some conditions only, are corn and oats. Unless 

 when swine may glean among the droppings, the corn 

 should usually be ground. .Virtually all kinds of grain are 

 improved by grinding when fed to dairy cows. Nearly all 

 kinds of grain are improved by grinding for feeding to 

 lambs quite young, but this is not necessary when they be- 

 gin to eat grain freely, except in the case of corn, which is 

 improved by cracking it to enable them the more readily to 

 eat it. For lambs, subsequent to weaning, and all mature 

 sheep, it is not necessary to grind grain free from noxious 

 weed seeds. Grinding improves nearly all kinds of grain 

 for swine, when fed unsoaked. The exception is corn when 

 fed alone. For horses, oats and corn in the she 11 ed form 

 are usually fed unground. Barley, rye, speltz and wheat, 

 especially the latter, are frequently, if not always, improved 

 by grinding, and the grinding of sorghum and millet seed 



