168 DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING STUFFS , 
nants, while these animals digest the fiber and iat better than do 
horses, 
Oats do not have quite as high digestibility as Indian corn, so 
far as fiber and nitrogen-free extract are concerned, due to ‘the 
higher percentage and the more woody character of the fiber in 
oats than in corn. The coefficients for protein and fat in the two 
grains, on the other hand, are about similar. The high fat contents 
of these two grains are doubtless important factors in making them 
palatable stock feeds. Oats, as a rule, have a somewhat lower feed- 
ing value than corn, although this depends largely on the combina- 
tion in which they are fed. In general, a mixture of the two grains 
gives better results than either fed alone. This rule does not hold 
good, however, in the case of oats for horses (p. 287). 
Corn and Oats (“ Ground feed ”).—Mixtures of corn and oats 
are ground together and sold in upmense! quantities in eastern and 
central States as “ ground feed ” or “ ground corn and oats.” This 
is used for feeding horses and dairy cows, especially the former, 
for which purpose it is well adapted.. A good grade of corn and oats 
makes a valuable horse feed, but low-grade materials, like oat hulls, 
refuse from oatmeal factories, ground corn cobs, etc., are often added 
in making the feed, and its purchase cannot be recommended outside 
of States which have feed inspection laws on* their statute-books, 
where the feed may be bought on definite guarantees of protein, fat, 
and maximum fiber contents. The wholesome effect of feed inspec- 
tion laws has been strikingly illustrated in the quality of the - 
ground feed sold in a State before and after the passage of such 
protective laws.° 
Ground oats and corn are generally sold on a guarantee of 9 to 
10 per cent protein, 3 to 4 per cent fat, and 7 to 9 per cent maximum 
fiber, according to the proportions of the two grains entering into 
the feed. These may vary from one of corn to three of oats by 
weight to three of corn and one of oats. The market prices of the 
two grains determine largely the proportions used of each, more 
corn being used when this grain is the cheaper, and vice versa. 
Since corn contains only about 2 per cent fiber, and oats, on the 
average, about 10 per cent, mixtures of the two grains will not 
be likely to contain over 7 per cent fiber. A fiber content of over 
9 per cent is conclusive evidence that the ground feed is either 
adulterated, or that a very poor grade of light oats was used in its 
manufacture. 
5 Wisconsin Circular 30, p. 83, January, 1912. 
