REQUEST BY INDIVIDUALS FOR THE ANALYSIS 



OF FEEDINGSTUFFS 



The feedingstuffs law requires the Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion to analyze only samples of registered feedingstuffs drawn under 

 the direction of the Feed Control Supervisor. It does, each year, 

 however, analyze a considerable number of samples drawn by individ- 

 uals representing stock purchased by them for their own use. Fre- 

 quently the reason for requesting an analysis is that the feed is sus- 

 pected of causing sickness or death of livestock or poultry. While 

 in very rare instances the feed may have caused the trouble, disease 

 is usually found to be the cause. Many times feeders, suspecting the 

 feed, lose valuable time in the treatment of the disease by sending 

 a sample of the feed for analysis and waiting for the report. Losses 

 could have been reduced had a veterinarian or poultry specialist been 

 consulted immediately and proper treatment given promptly. The 

 most conclusive method of determining whether or not the feed is the 

 cause of the trouble is a biological test. Such a test can be conducted 

 on the premises of the feeder. If the feed is suspected, confine in 

 sanitary pens two lots of healthy chicks. Give to one lot the suspected 

 feed and to the other lot a feed known to be good. Should the chicks 

 receiving the suspected feed become ill and the others remain healthy, 

 there is evidence the feed is the cause. Under such circumstances, 

 notify the Feed Control Supervisor and an official sample will be 

 drawn. The official sample will be analyzed to determine if the manu- 

 facturer is responsible. 



The most common reason the purchaser has for asking to have 

 the sample analyzed is to satisfy himself whether the feed meets 

 its guarantee and if it does not, to obtain evidence upon which to base 

 a claim for shortage. The Station can assume no responsibility for 

 the drawing of an unofficial sample but can attest only the accuracy 

 of the analysis of the sample as submitted. It is practically impos- 

 sible to secure a representative sample of a feedingstuff composed of 

 several ingredients varying widely in composition without the aid 

 of a sampling tube for drawing the sample and proper equipment 

 for mixing it. A feed may contain as one of its ingredients gluten 

 meal averaging 40 per cent protein, and as another ingredient oat 

 mill feed averaging 5 per cent protein. These materials are so dif- 

 ferent in physical condition that the shaking in transit tends to 

 separate them even though they may have been perfectly mixed by 

 the manufacturer before bagging. It is apparent that an accurate 

 sample of a shipment of a feed can only be had by drawing a core 

 from several bags. Since a representative sample is as essential as 

 an accurate analysis in judging the value of a shipment of feed, it 

 is evident that a satisfactory adjustment can seldom be effected on 

 the basis of an unofficial sample. 



Notwithstanding the objections which may be raised to the analysis 

 of samples taken without proper sampling equipment, the Station is 

 disposed to continue this work as long as there is evidence that it 

 constitutes a useful service. The samples so submitted should be 

 drawn from at least ten bags in a manner which will insure that the 

 small lot sent for analysis is as accurately representative as possible 



