CHAPTER XI. 



AFEEDEKS'GUIDE. 



It has been thought best, in order to Increase the usefulness ol 

 this little book to practical farmers, to add to the specific infor- 

 mation given in the preceding pages as to the making and feeding 

 of silage, a brief general outline of the main principles that should 

 govern the feeding of farm animals. This will include a statement 

 of the character of the various components of the feeding stuffs 

 used for the nutrition of farm stock, with tables of composition, 

 and a glossary of scientific or technical terms often met with 

 in agricultural papers, experiment station reports, and similar 

 publications. Many of these terms are used constantly in discus- 

 sions of agricultural topics, and unless the farmer has a, fairly 

 clear idea of their meaning, the discussions will often be of no 

 value to him. The information given in the following is put in as 

 plain and simple language as possible, and only such facts are 

 given as are considered of fundamental importance to the feeder 

 of farm stock. 



Composition of the Animal Body. 



The most important components of the animal body are: Water, 

 ash, protein, and fat. We shall briefly describe these components. 



Water is found in larger quantities in the animal body than any 

 other substance. It makes up about a third to nearly two-thlrds 

 of the live weight of farm animals. The fatter the animal is, the 

 less water is found in its body. We may consider 50 per cent, of 

 the body weight a general average for the water content of the 

 body of farm animals. When it comes to animal products used for 

 food purposes, there are wide variations in the water content; 

 from between 80 and 90 per cent., in case of milk, to between 40 

 and 60 per cent, in meat of various kinds, about 12 per cent, in 

 butter, and less than 10 per cent, in fat salt pork. 



Ash or mineral matter Is that portion of the animal body which 



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