April, 1912] FEEDING-STUFFS JK 



FIBRE. 



The crude fibre in a feeding-stuff is that portion which 

 goes to make up the cell-walls and structural material 

 of the plant. It is fairly indigestible and in general a 

 Jiigh percentage of crude fibre indicates a low-grade feed. 



NITROGEN-FREE EXTRACT. 



The nitrogen-free extract is that portion of the feed 

 readily extracted by water or dilute acids and composed of 

 non-nitrogenous materials. The principal substances in- 

 cluded under the term are the starches and sugars. 



CARBOHYDRATES. 



The term carbohydrates is sometimes used in speaking of 

 feeding-stuffs. It is generally used to include both crude 

 fibre and nitrogen-free extract. A feeding-stuff which con- 

 tains small amounts of moisture, ash and crude fibre must 

 be classed as high grade, if digestible. When these con- 

 stituents are present in small amounts the total amount of 

 the valuable constituents — protein, fat and nitrogen-free 

 extract — must be high. 



The Value of a Chemical Examination of Commercial 

 Feeding-stuffs. 



The chemical analysis of feeding-stuffs is valuable in 

 many ways, chief of which are the following: 



1. It shows whether or not the guarantees of the manu- 

 facturer are correct. 



2. It protects the buyer against the unscrupulous manu- 

 facturer or retailer. 



3. It aids the buj^er in deciding money values in pur- 

 chasing feed. 



