GENERAL FEEDING 463 



should be concentrated and rich in protein during the 

 former period, and in carbohydrates during the latter. It 

 may also be added that mature animals not producing re- 

 quire but little grain, hence, the aim should be to maintain 

 them on relatively cheap foods. 



Foods home grown or purchased. Whether the 

 foods fed should be entirely grown upon the farm or pur- 

 chased in part or in whole will depend upon several con- 

 siderations. These include: (i) The relative area of the 

 land holdings on which foods may be grown; (2) the rela- 

 tive values of foods; (3) the natural adaptation of the 

 country for certain lines of production, and (4) the neces- 

 sity for applying fertilizers from some outside source. 



It is evident that where the holdings are small, the 

 amount of live stock kept cannot be large, unless foods are 

 purchased in addition to those grown. The purchase of foods 

 to supplement those grown may in certain instances not 

 only be necessary but also commendable. Nevertheless the 

 fact remains that the profit from feeding home-grown foods 

 should be greater than from feeding those purchased. It 

 will probably be correct to say that the home value of foods 

 is 20 per cent less than the value of the same on the mar- 

 ket. In other words, other things being equal, a food can 

 usually be grown for about 20 per cent less than it can be 

 purchased, hence, the advantage to the grower and feeder 

 of live stock of being able to grow all or nearly all the 

 food which he needs. This should be his aim to the great- 

 est extent possible, but of course all the food needed can- 

 not be grown on small farms when they are heavily 

 stocked. 



The relative value of foods exercises an important 

 qualifying influence on the amount and kinds that it will 

 pay t % o purchase, and also on the conditions under which 

 they may be fed. In some instances, as when the prices 

 of food products are low, when live stock of suitable age 

 and at moderate prices for feeding can be obtained and 

 when the demand for the properly finished product rules 



