10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



POULTRY FEEDS AND THEIR METHODS OF FEEDING. 



BY PROF. J. C. GRAHAM OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL 



COLLEGE. 



It is impossible to discuss intelligently the subjects of feeds 

 and feeding, from both a practical and scientific point of 

 view, without thoroughly understanding a number of im- 

 portant terms now in quite common use. We can hardly 

 pick up a poultry journal or a book on this subject without 

 coming in contact with such terms as protein, carbohydrates, 

 fats, nutritive ratio, balanced ration, etc. As there may be 

 some present who are not familiar with these terms, they will 

 be defined in order that the discussions which follow may 

 be fully understood. 



Proteins are made up of the nitrogenous portions of feeds. 

 They are the body builders, used in making the lean meat, 

 eggs, hair, nerves, tendons, etc. 



Carbohydrates are the starches and sugars particularly. 

 These are used for energy and heat. A hen may eat a large 

 amount of carbohydrates in twenty-four hours and yet at 

 the end of the time, if she were killed and her flesh analyzed, 

 we would find not more than one per cent of carbohydrates 

 in her body, although her food has been composed largely 

 of these materials. It shows how completely these are 

 changed into other things. 



Fats are the oily portions of food ; they are also used in 

 the body for heat and energy. The important thing about 

 them is that they are worth for that purpose two and one- 

 fourth times as much as the same weight of carbohydrates. 

 That is, one pound of fats will produce as much heat and 

 energy as two and one-fourth pounds of carbohydrates. 



A balanced ration is one in which the amounts of protein, 

 carbohydrates, fats and ash are in such proportions that 



