218 POULTRY CULTURE 



Popular standard mashes approximately chemically balanced 

 rations. Since the common whole grains have very nearly the 

 nutrient ratio of a standard ration, the ratio of nutrients in the 

 mashes fed with them should be about the same. Wide variations 

 (amounting to errors) from common nutrient standards in the mash 

 cannot be corrected in the hard grains of the ration, but must be 

 corrected either in the mash or by furnishing special supplies of 

 foods of the required character. The use of mashes and espe- 

 cially of wet mashes mixed from day to day as used, and varied 

 in composition according to the judgment of a skillful feeder 

 gives opportunity to use to full advantage many waste products or 

 cheap food products, to add to the variety of the ration by occa- 

 sional changes in the ingredients, composition, and consistency of 

 the mash, and, when desired, to make quick modifications of the 

 whole ration without changing other parts of it. The mash used 

 in this way gives the greatest possible flexibility to a ration. Con- 

 sidering results without reference to cost of labor, it is generally 

 agreed that a skilled feeder can get better actual results by using 

 wet mashes than it is possible to get in any other way. As to the 

 advantage of using wet mashes when labor is considered, there is 

 less unanimity of opinion. 



Errors in the use of wet mashes. The wet mash, being capable 

 of great variation in composition and consistency, may become a 

 dangerous factor in the hands of an unskillful or of a careless 

 feeder. The greatest risks attend the misuse of the mash in feed- 

 ing poultry lacking in vitality and digestive power. Such birds may 

 be very seriously affected by sloppy, doughy, or sour mashes when 

 rugged birds would eat them with impunity. 



Dry mashes. Dry mashes came into use because of the diffi- 

 culties that many poultry keepers experienced in using wet mashes, 

 and because of the apparent saving of labor in preparing and the 

 greater convenience (in many instances) in feeding them. 



Personal estimates of the value of dry mashes, as of all features in 

 feeding, are usually based on a comparison of the results of feeding 

 dry mashes with the results secured by the same person without 

 them, rather than on comparisons with any general standards of 

 results, or with the net results of .the various changes in items 

 affecting the cost of handling poultry which the use of a dry mash 



