192 A FEEDER'S GUIDE. 



that they are in many instances different from any sub- 

 stances found in the vegetable world. 



The components of feeding stuffs which are generally 

 enumerated and taken into account in ordinary chemical 

 fodder analysis, or in discussions of feeding problems 

 are Water (or Moisture, as it is often called), ash ma- 

 terials, fat (or ether-extract), protein, crude fiber, and 

 nitrogen-free extract; the two components last given are 

 sometimes grouped together under the name Carbohy- 

 drates. These components are in nearly all cases mix- 

 tures of substances that possess certain properties in 

 common; and as the mixtures are often made up of 

 different components, or of the same components in vary- 

 ing proportions, it follows that even if a substance is 

 given in a table of composition of feeding stuffs, in the 

 same quantities in case of two different feeds, these 

 feeds do not necessarily have the same food value as far 

 as this component alone is concerned. 



Water or moisture is found in all feeding stuffs, 

 whether succulent or apparently dry. Green fodders con- 

 tain from 60 to 90 per cent, of water, according to the 

 stage of maturity of the fodder; root crops contain be- 

 tween 80 and 90 per cent., while hay of different kinds, 

 straw, and concentrated feeds ordinarily have water con- 

 tents ranging between 15 and 8 per cent. 



Ash or mineral matter is found in all plant tissues 

 and feeding stuffs. We find most ash in leafy plants, or 

 in refuse feeds made up from the outer covering of grains 

 or other seeds, viz., from 4 to 8 per cent; less in the 

 cereals and green fodder, and least of all in roots. A 

 fair amount of ash materials is a necessity in feeding 

 young stock and pregnant animals, and only limited 

 amount of foods low in ash should be fed to such animals; 

 refuse feed from starch and glucose factories which have 

 been treated with large quantities of water should, there- 

 fore, be fed with care in such cases. 



Fat or ether-extract is the portion of the feeding 

 stuff which is dissolved by ether or benzine. It is found 

 in large quantities in the oil-bearing seeds, more than 

 one-third of these being composed of oil or fat; the oil- 

 mill refuse feeds are also rich in fat, especially cotton 

 seed meal and old-process linseed meal; other feeds rich 

 in fat are gluten meal and feed, grano-gluten and rice 

 meal. The ether-extract of the coarse fodders contains 

 considerable wax, resins, and other substances which have 

 a low feeding value, while that of the seeds and by-products 

 from these are essentially pure fat or oil. 



