48 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



Even when hay appears perfectly well 

 cured and dry it contains a large amount 

 of water, as may be seen in the analyses 

 above. From the time hay is put in the 

 barn until it is baled or used in winter 

 there is usually a shrinkage in weight of 

 15 to 20 per cent, due to further loss of 

 moisture. Grain also shrinks from 10 

 to 20 per cent in weight in storage from 

 loss of moisture. 



The water in plants or feeding stuffs 

 is of no greater value for animals than 

 water obtained from other sources, ex- 

 cept that it is pure and may add palata- 

 bility to the food. Feeds are valuable in 

 proportion to the dry matter they con- 

 tain, not in proportion to the water. 



Ash in plants — The ash in green 

 plants and of grains, as shown by the 

 table, is comparatively low, being rela- 

 tively much lower than the ash in ani- 

 mals. The ash content of the cured hay 

 is somewhat greater. Different plants 

 vary greatly as regards their ash content 



and even different parts of the same 

 plant. Thus the dry matter of beet 

 leaves contains about 15 per cent of ash, 

 while the dry matter of the roots con- 

 tains but about 3.8 per cent of ash. The 

 dry matter in the straw of wheat, oats 

 and peas contains from 5 to 7 per cent 

 of ash, while the grain of these plants 

 contains only 2 to 3 per cent. Different 

 parts of a kernel of grain also store up 

 different amounts of ash, thus the outer 

 coating or bran of wheat contains about 

 6 per cent of ash, while the wheat flour 

 contains only about one-half of 1 per 

 cent of ash. 



The ash of plants contains the same 

 elements as the ash of animals, though 

 in somewhat different proportions. Pot- 

 ash is much more prominent in the ash 

 of plants than in animals, while phos- 

 phoric acid and lime is much less so. 

 These differences are shown in the fol- 

 lowing comparison: 



COMPOSITION OF ASH IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS (per Cent). 



Total ash Potash Soda 



Timothy hay (dry matter) G.8 2.4 .12 



Fat ox (fresh body) 3.9 .14 .12 



Lime Phos acid Magnesia 



.55 .80 .22 



1.74 1.56 .05 



The protein of plants is essentially 

 the same material as that found in an- 

 imals. As before noted it is a short 

 term used to signify a group of com- 

 pounds in both plants and animals that 

 contain nitrogen. The proteids are all 

 very highly organized organic com- 

 pounds. They have been found to con- 

 tain on the average about 52 per cent 

 carbon, 23 per cent oxygen, 16 per cent 

 nitrogen, 7 per cent hydrogen and 2 per 

 cent sulphur and sometimes small 

 amounts of phosphorus or iron in addi- 

 tion. It has been estimated that the 

 proteid molecule contains at least 5000 

 atoms, while that of water contains 

 but 3 atoms, sugar 24 to 45 and fat 165 

 atoms or thereabouts. This gives an 

 idea of the highly organized and complex 

 form of the proteid compounds. The 

 gluten of the wheat kernel is an exam- 

 ple of vegetable protein. 



All plants contain some protein, but 

 it is most abundant in leguminous plants 

 and seeds, like clover, alfalfa, peas, beans, 

 etc. The table on page 47 shows that 

 cotton seed is very rich in protein. Feed- 

 stuffs rich in protein are sometimes re- 

 ferred to as "flesh formers" on account of 

 their importance in the formation of lean 



flesh. Protein is the only constituent 

 in feeding stuffs that contains nitrogen. 

 The nitrogen is the same as that found 

 in fertilizers and that constitutes four- 

 fifths of the air Ave breathe. 



The protein group is usually divided 

 into the proteids and non-proteids, the 

 former of which is the more abundant 

 and has the greater feeding value. Of 

 the non-proteids the amides, gelatine, 

 creatin, etc, are prominent members. 

 The non-proteids are simpler in struc- 

 ture than the proteids, are soluble and 

 transferable throughout the tissues and 

 are not believed to be muscle formers 

 like the albuminoids, but perform, rather, 

 functions similar to the other organic 

 constituents of the food. 



The source of protein in the animal 

 body is the protein of the food. It is 

 believed also that the animal body is not 

 capable of building up protein from 

 simpler substances, but that the protein 

 must enter the body fully organized. 

 Protein is essential in the building and 

 repair of all animal tissue and is a 

 prominent constituent of the muscles, 

 brain, nerves, blood, hair, nails, skin, etc. 

 Animals cannot build up their bodies, 

 cows produce milk, poultry eggs, or sheep 



