2 66 THE CHEMISTRY OF CATTLE FEEDING 



The most important of the seeds used as feeding stuffs 

 are the cereals, including rice and maize, pulse, e.g. peas and 

 beans, and the oil-bearing seeds, e.g. linseed, cotton seed. 



The various cereals closely resemble each other in chemical 

 composition. They are essentially starchy seeds. The dressed 

 grain always contains over 50 per cent, of that ingredient, 

 and not infrequently over 70 per cent. The amount of fat 

 is necessarily small; with few exceptions it rarely exceeds 

 about 2 per cent. In average samples the proportion of 

 protein varies from about 10 to 12 per cent. The starch is 

 concentrated towards the centre. The aleurone layer which 

 lies on the outside, just underneath the husk, and the germ 

 situated at one end, are rich in fat and protein ; and some of 

 the offal products in which these are included contain more 

 fat and nitrogenous matter than the whole grains. 



The principal cereals grown in this country are wheat, 

 barley, rye, and oats. Maize, rice, and various millets, which 

 are also included in this class, are imported from abroad in 

 large quantities. 



Wheat. From many points of view wheat is the most 

 important cereal. As, however, it is in great demand as food 

 for human beings, it is not much used for cattle feeding. That 

 it is suitable for that purpose is obvious, and that the animals 

 exhibit a marked relish for it is well known. The question 

 is, therefore, merely, or mainly, one of relative cost. When 

 the price is compared with that of other cereals (p. 167) it 

 will be seen that wheat appears at no great disadvantage. 

 The inferior grades of wheat, which can be obtained at lower 

 prices, can be profitably employed. The various wheat offals 

 are in great demand as feeding stuffs. 



The dressed grain as supplied to the millers consists of 

 three successive membranous or husky coats, forming the 

 pericarp or branny envelope, the highly nitrogenous aleurone 

 layer which lies underneath, and the kernel with the germ 

 at one end (Figs. 18 and 19). This kernel is made up ot 

 cells which contain the endosperm, consisting of the nucleus 

 and a mass of vacuolated protoplasm the wheat gluten. The 

 vacuoles contain the starch granules, and those seeds in which 



