feeding stuff inspection. 89 



Discussion of thf; Results of Analyses. 



However feeding stuffs may differ in their sources, they owe 

 their value to certain constituents that are common to all of 

 them. Feeding stuffs, like other foods, are of value in the 

 animal economy for two distinct purposes. They build new 

 tissues and serve as sources of energy for the performance of 

 work, both within and without the animal body. The protein of 

 the feeding stuff serves as building material. The starches and 

 fats are of value as sources of energy which enable the body to 

 do its work. 



The average farmer should have no difficulty in growing all 

 of the energy producing foods that he needs. Where a large 

 number of animals, particularly dairy animals, are kept it is 

 not usually practicable to grow all of the needed protein. While 

 such crops as clover, peas, oats and other materials relatively 

 rich in protein can be grown in sufficient amount to more or less 

 completely supply the needs of the animals kept upon the farm, 

 the protein supply must commonly be supplemented by the pur- 

 chase of commercial feeding stuffs. Thus it usually happens 

 that when the farmer goes to the market for the purchase of 

 feeding stuffs, it is protein that he needs rather than starches 

 and fats. 



From the standpoint of the average feeder, protein is the most 

 important measure of a commercial feeding stuff. While the ■ 

 energy producing carbohydrates and fats are just as important 

 in the animal economy as is the protein, it is usually the case that 

 the feeder does not need to buy the energy foods but needs to 

 purchase protein. This constituent is determined in all samples 

 collected by the inspector or sent to the Station by corres- 

 pondents. The fats are not as important and in goods of the 

 same class are more apt to run uniform than the protein, and for 

 these reasons, the percentage of fat is usually determined only in 

 one sample of each brand of goods analyzed. While on some 

 accounts it is to be regretted that the funds for the feeding stuff 

 inspection are so limited that only a partial examination of the 

 samples collected is' possible, for the most part this partial anal- 

 ysis serves the purpose fairly well. Occasionally in goods that 

 are suspected of adulteration, it would be desirable to make much 

 more extended examinations than is at present possible. 



