CHAPTER X 

 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



250. Importance of Animal Food and Work. "It is 

 estimated by competent authority that over 45 per cent 

 of the food consumption of the better classes in the United 

 States consists of animal products. Taking into account 

 the relatively higher prices of these materials, it seems 

 safe to estimate that fully half the amount spent for food 

 by the average well-to-do family goes for the purchase 

 of meat, eggs and dairy products. Moreover, whatever, 

 in the light of recent discussion, may be our attitude 

 toward vegetarianism, or our judgment as to the neces- 

 sary proteid supply, it is certainly a fact, however we 

 may explain it, that those peoples are, as a whole, most 

 efficient which consume a reasonable proportion of animal 

 food 



"These enormous sums spent for meat represent to 

 a considerable extent the indirect utilization through 

 the animal of farm products which would otherwise 

 have no nutritive value for man. This is true on the one 

 hand of the leaves, stems, husks, pods, etc., of our vari- 

 ous farm crops the so-called coarse fodders and, on 

 the other, of those manufacturing by-products which 

 accumulate in the preparation of grains and other raw 

 materials for human consumption. By feeding these 

 products to our domestic animals, we utilize for feeding 

 man or performing his work a portion of their stored-up 



(281) 



