118 The Farmer's Business Handbook 



groups of substances found in animal bodies, 

 viz., water, ash, fat and protein, are also found 

 in the food that animals consume. In addition, 

 the food of herbivorous animals contains a class 

 of substances called carbohydrates. 



a. Water. All food stuffs, no matter how dry 

 they may seem, contain a considerable amount 

 of water. In grains and dried fodders, it ranges 

 from 8 to 15 per cent of the material, in green 

 forage and silage it is about 80 per cent, while 

 in some roots it amounts to 90 per cent. While 

 water is essential to animal life and the water 

 in the food fulfils the same function as that drunk 

 by the animal, we do not value food materials 

 for the water they contain, and computations are 

 based upon the water -free or dry matter. 



b. Ash. When a food stuff is burned till the 

 organic matter is all driven off, the residue is 

 the ash. It is composed largely of lime, magne- 

 sia, potash, soda, iron, chlorine, and carbonic, 

 sulfuric and phosphoric acids. The ash of the 

 food is the source of mineral matter of the 

 animal body, and as such is of great importance. 

 Ordinary combinations of feeding stuffs, however, 

 contain an abundant supply of mineral matter for 

 the use of the animal; so that it is not a matter 

 of practical concern except as it has a bearing 

 on the mineral elements of fertility in the manure. 



c. Fats. This group embraces the materials 



