Aug., 1924] inspection of feeding stuffs 11 



certain mineral elements particularly phosphorous and calcium 

 and that certain substances known as vitamines are essential for 

 the proper development of animals. 



If dairy cattle or swine are fed certain concentrated feed- 

 ing-stuffs with a poor roughage such as. corn stover, straw, or 

 possibly native hay, the feeding value of the concentrates is not 

 nearly so great as when the animals are in pasture or are fed a 

 good leguminous roughage such as clover or alfalfa. The reason 

 for this may be that the concentrated feeding-stuffs do not con- 

 tain the proper vitamines, sufficient of the proper mineral ele- 

 ments or the proper proteins. If on the other hand good alfalfa 

 or clover and silage are fed as roughage these deficiencies in the 

 ration will be taken care of. Grow good quality roughage ! It 

 will make the feeding-stuffs which you buy more valuable ! 



REQUESTS FOR ANALYSIS OF FEEDS 



The Department is frequently asked to make analysis of 

 samples of feeds for individuals. This they are always glad to 

 do when the circumstances warrant it. It must be pointed out, 

 however, that the privilege is sometimes abused. Many of these 

 samples apparently represent only a handful of feed taken from 

 one bag and are sent to the Department carelessly wrapped in 

 paper or in a pasteboard box from which most of the fine ma- 

 terial may have been lost. The analysis of these samples re- 

 quires the same expenditure of labor and materials as the analy- 

 sis of an official sample; yet the figures obtained may be worse 

 than worthless if the sample examined does not accurately repre- 

 sent the lot from which it was taken. 



On account of the expense involved in making these analyses 

 and also the possibility under present conditions of the figures 

 obtained being unreliable the Department wishes to suggest ; first, 

 that in cases where the amount of feed is less than one ton that 

 instead of sending a sample for analysis that the consumer write 

 us asking our findings on the last official sample of this feed 

 which we have analyzed; and second, that where the amount of 

 feed is more than one ton that a sample be taken from at least 

 ten per cent of the bags in a manner that will insure its being 



