THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FEEDINGSTUFFS 1 



and sulphur are necessary for the proper growth and develop- 

 ment of all agricultural plants and, in addition to these 

 elements, sodium and chlorine arc essential also for the 

 nutrition of agricultural animals. 



The Mineral Constituents in Feedingstuffs. — In feed- 

 ingstuffs, potassium is found in greatest amounts in the 

 roughages, as corn stover, hays, and straws. Fairly large 

 quantities are found in the oil by-products, in wheat bran, 

 in milk, in tankage, and in malt sprouts, while the ordinary 

 cereal grains are deficient in this element. 



Calcium is especially abundant in bone meal, tankage, 

 and leguminous hays, while the ordinary grains and many 

 of their by-products are deficient. The rations of young 

 growing animals and of dairy cows are hable to be deficient 

 in this element. 



Magnesium is most abundant in the oil by-products 

 and in wheat bran. It also occurs in considerable quantity 

 in the legume hays and in the ordinary grains. The straws 

 and roots are especially low in this element. 



The quantity of iron in feedingstuffs is very small in all 

 cases, but it is probably always sufficient except under 

 pathological conditions. 



The air is the source of the oxygen to the animal body. 



Phosphorus occurs abundantly in bone meal, tankage, bran, 

 middhngs, oil by-products, and legume seeds. The grains and 

 legume hays contain medium amounts of this element, while 

 dried blood, gluten meal, roots, and straws contain only 

 small amounts. The rations of the young growing animal 

 and of the dairy cow are apt to be deficient in phosphorus. 



Sulphur probably is found in small but sufficient quantities 

 in all feedingstuffs. 



