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BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



quart or a little more of wheat middlings, in order to get 

 the proper proportions by weight. In the same way one can 

 make various mixtures by using the proper measure for each, 

 and yet have the result based on weights. 



Table 12.- — Chemical Components of Poultry, Eggs and Corn (Per Cent). 



This chart shows the composition of an average hen, of 

 the egg, of a very fat fowl and of corn. We see that corn 

 fed alone — and the same is true of most of our other grains, 

 generally speaking — is far from giving a balanced ration, 

 but is a very one-sided feed. The hen, for instance, con- 

 tains 3.8 per cent ash and the egg 12.2 per cent, whereas 

 corn contains only 1.5 per cent ash. Again, the hen con- 

 tains 21 per cent protein and the egg 11.4 per cent; the 

 fat fowl 19.4 per cent and corn only 10.3 per cent. 



The same is true of fats, as is seen when we compare the 

 carbohydrates in corn with the fat in the hen and the egg. 



The ratio of protein to carbohydrates in corn is about 1 

 to 9 in round numbers, so that if the hen which, under good 

 laying condition, uses 41^ pounds of carbohydrates and fats 

 to every pound of protein, is fed corn alone, she will be 

 obliged to eat 9 pounds of carbohydrates and fats, or twice 

 the amount she ought to consume in order to get a pound 

 of protein. On the other hand, if we feed her too much 

 protein in proportion to carbohydrates and fats she will be 

 obliged to eat more protein than necessary. Whenever the 

 hen must eat more of any one of the food principles than 

 she really needs there not only is a waste of feed, but an 

 extra strain is brought upon the digestive system to handle 

 this excessive amount of food. We should see to it, there- 

 fore, that our hens have as nearly a balanced ration as pos- 



