CROPS AS FOOD FOR CATTLE. 43 



COMPAKATIVE VALUE OF CKOPS AS 

 FOOD FOE CATTLE. 



ESSEX. 



An Essay by Ansel W. Putnam. 



During the year 1875, the "American Agriculturist," in 

 articles from Professor Atwater, gave to practical farmers 

 the fundamental principles by which they may determine the 

 value of crops as food for cattle. 



The corner-stone upon which economical feeding rests, has 

 been discovered, and is composed of albuminoids and carbo- 

 hydrates, mixed in certain proportions. For dry cows, and 

 oxen at rest, the ratio may be one of albuminoids to eight of 

 carbo-hydrates. For oxen at hard work, and milch cows, 

 one of albuminoids to four or five of carbo-hydrates. Ger- 

 man experiments have proved that it is as important to have 

 these elements in about the right proportion, to get good 

 results from feeding, as it is to have lime and sand in about 

 the right proportions to make good mortar. 



If crops, having an excess of albuminoids, are fed by them- 

 selves, a part of the albuminoids will be lost for the want of 

 carbo-hydrates to unite with, as a part of the lime will be 

 lost in making mortar, if there is not the proper amount of 

 sand for the lime to unite with. Also, if crops, having an 

 excess of carbo-hydrates, are fed by themselves, a part will 

 be lost. 



As it is a loss to the bricklayer to have pebbles in the 

 mortar that he must pick out from under every brick, before 

 it can be laid, so it is a loss to have large amounts of indigest- 

 ible material mixed with cattle-food. 



Perhaps good food for cattle may be defined as that in 

 which the albuminoids and carbo-hydrates are in the right 

 proportion, and a large per cent, of the fodder digestible. 



