Aug., 1923] inspection of feeding stuffs 11 



that not all proteins are of equal value, that our feeds may- 

 be deficient in certain mineral elements particularly phos- 

 phorous and calcium and that certain substances known as 

 vitamines are essential for the proper development of 

 animals. 



If dairy cattle or swine are fed certain concentrated 

 feeding-stuff's with a poor roughage such as corn stover, 

 straw, or possibly native hay, the feeding value of the con- 

 centrates is not nearly so great as when the animals are in 

 pasture or are fed a good leguminous roughage such as 

 clover or alfalfa. The reasons for this may be that the 

 concentrated feeding-stuif does not contain the proper 

 vitamines, sufficient of the proper mineral elements or the 

 proper proteins. If on the other hand good alfalfa or 

 clover and silage are fed as a roughage these deficiencies in 

 the ration will be taken care of. Grow good quality rough- 

 age! It will make the feeding-stuffs which you buy more 

 valuable! 



REQUESTS FOR ANALYSIS OF FEEDS. 



The Department is frequently asked to make analyses 

 of samples of feeds for individuals. This they are always 

 glad to do when the circumstances warrant it. It must 

 be pointed out, however, that the privilege is sometimes 

 abused. Many of these samples apparently represent only 

 a handful of feed taken from one bag and are sent to the 

 Department carelessly wrapped in paper or in a paste- 

 board box from which much of the fine material may have 

 been lost. The analysis of these samples requires the same 

 expenditure of labor and materials as the analysis of an 

 official sample ; yet the figures obtained may be worse than 

 worthless if the sample examined does not accurately rep- 

 resent the lot from which it was taken. 



On account of the expense involved in making these 

 analyses and also the possibility under present conditions 

 of the figures obtained being unreliable the Department 

 wishes to suggest ; first, that in cases where the amount of 



