Crude Protein is the general name for all of the nitrogenous mat- 

 ters of the seed. It corresponds to the lean meat in the animal, and 

 may be termed "vegetable meat." It has the same elementary com- 

 position as animal flesh, and is considered the most valuable part of 

 concentrated feeds. 



Non-nitrogenous Extract Matter consists of sugars, starch and 

 gums. The grains are very rich in starch and similar substances. 



Carbohydrates. — The flber and extract matter have the same func- 

 tions in the process of nutrition, and collectively they are termed 

 carbohydrates. 



Nutritive Ratio. — The numerical relation which the protein of a 

 feed bears to the carbohydrates (and fat reduced to carbohydrates) 

 is termed its nutritive ratio. Fat is multiplied by 2i to convert it 

 into carbohydrates. If a ton of feed should contain 96 pounds of 

 digestible protein, and 928 pounds of digestible carbohydrates, it 

 would have 9.4 times as much carbohydrates as protein or 1 : 9.4, 

 which is its nutritive ratio. 



Digestibility. — Any feed-stuff is valuable as a source of nourish- 

 ment only so far as its various parts can be digested and assimilated. 

 That the concentrated feeds are much more digestible than the coarse 

 fodders may be shown from the following table : — 



The timothy hay has only 48.4 pounds of digestible matter, while 

 the cotton-seed has 65.3 pounds. 



Reasons for feeding concentrated feeds. Most of the home grown 

 coarse feeds are high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and compar- 

 atively indigestible. Nearly all of the concentrated feeds are very 

 digestible, and a large number are high in protein and low to medium 

 in carbohydrates. The concentrated feeds are fed with the home 

 grown coarse feeds therefore, first to increase the digestible matter y, 

 and second to increase the amount of protein in the daily ration. 



