CJvASSIIS OF COMMERCIAL FEEDS 



103 



Most of our poultry foods are sweet and clean but a few 

 always carry sweepings, shells and charcoal. 



Classes of Poultry Feeds. — The principal classes of poultry 

 feeds are; i. Hen feed. 2. Chick feed or scratching grains. 

 3. Pigeon feed. 4. Mash. 



Hen feed is usually composed of cracked corn, some of the 

 coarser parts or whole seeds and may contain shells, grit and 

 charcoal. Chick feeds are similar to hen feeds except the prod- 

 uct is in a finer mechanical condition. Pigeon feed is generally 

 not so coarse as chick feed and may contain the same materials. 

 Mash is a variable product depending upon the materials of 

 which it is composed. It usually contains alfalfa or clover 

 meal, corn product, oat product, meat scraps or other animal 

 by-product, weed seeds, etc. It may contain some of other 

 materials as linseed meal, flax feed, wheat products, etc. The 

 mash is characterized by carrying more protein than the other 

 mentioned feeds. 



Approximate Average Composition of Poultry Feeds 



Composition in per cent. 



Fat 

 (ether 

 extract) 



Nitrogen 



free ex. 



tract 



Fiber 



Ash 



Hen .. 

 Chick 

 Pigeon 

 Mash • 



II 

 II 

 II 

 15 



3 

 3 

 3 

 4-S 



67 

 67 

 67 

 52.5 



10 

 10 

 10 

 10 



5 



5 



5 



10 



The animal by-products mentioned previously are used a great 

 deal in poultry feeding. 



Alfalfa and Clover Meal. — The cured hays of alfalfa and clover 

 are ground and put upon the market as alfalfa and clover meal. 

 They may be very finely ground but generally the hay is cut in }i 

 to J^ inch lengths. The manufacturers usually buy these hays 

 baled and grind them at their mills. A great deal of alfalfa 

 is consumed as chopped alfalfa and alfalfa meal in mixed com- 

 mercial feeds. Alfalfa seems to be very popular with the Ameri- 



