DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 187 



for draught oxen, fattening bullocks and pigs, and 

 can also be given in considerable quantities to dairy 

 stock, if the making of butter is not the main object ; 

 otherwise only smaller amounts must be given, or 

 the butter will be too soft. Pigs which are being 

 fattened may have half the ration composed of 

 maize, particularly in the first half of the fattening 

 period. Where large quantities are given, the 

 bacon tends to become oily and the flesh soft, 

 points which will be considered at a later stage. 

 For foals maize can only be considered a supple- 

 mentary food, and as it is very hard it ought to be 

 coarsely ground or soaked in water before being fed. 



Millet is rather costlier, its nutritive value about 

 that of oats, and on account of the small size of the 

 grains must only be given in a ground form. 



Buckwheat (p. 166) is slightly less nutritious than 

 oats, and is most suitable for fattening cattle and 

 pigs, or for draught oxen ; it is less useful for horses, 

 and not at all good for young stock. Owing to the 

 hardness of the grain it must be ground or soaked. 



(b) Leguminous seeds. 



These take the first place amongst the grains, 

 because of the amount of protein they contain. 

 Generally the percentage of fat is not more than in 

 cereal grains, but some — soja beans- and lupines — 

 have a considerable quantity. Some of the seeds of 



