CHAPTER XX 
MISCELLANEOUS FEEDS 
I. Proprietary Feeds.—A large number of different kinds of 
mixed feeds, mostly proprietary feeds, are on the market and are 
sold for feeding different classes of farm animals. The names 
under which they are sold often indicate the purpose for which 
they are intended, like dairy feeds, horse, calf, swine feeds, etc. 
Some of these feeds possess considerable merit and may be bought 
at prices that: render them economical in comparison with standard 
stock feeds; others may likewise have merit, but are sold at ex- 
cessive prices, and others, again, are neither desirable nor economi- 
cal feeds and may safely be left alone. Unfortunately, the majority 
of the proprietary feeds belong to the last class. The farmer should 
aim to be relatively independent of feed manufacturers by raising 
his own feed so far as practicable, and to supplement these through 
the purchase of standard feeds of the kind required for the special 
feeding operations in which he is engaged. The mixed feeds on 
the market, as a rule, are bought by farmers who are either so 
situated that they cannot raise much of their own feed or who have 
not posted themselves sufficiently on the subject of feeding stuffs 
to know that these mixed feeds do not necessarily possess any merit 
above that of ordinary well-known feeding stuffs, and that state- 
ments on the advertising circulars of feed manufacturers must often 
be considerably discounted. 
There are, however, as suggested, many proprietary feeds on the 
market which may be purchased at reasonable prices and under 
definite guarantees of minimum contents of protein and fat, and 
maximum fiber contents, which are, moreover, made by reliable 
manufacturers who value their business reputation and furnish 
feeds of at least the value suggested by the guarantees. Where 
such feeds can be bought at fair prices and fit into the system of 
feeding practised by the farmer, there is no reason for not giving 
them a trial. Among these feeds are a number of alfalfa molasses 
feeds, the brewery molasses feeds, mixed grain or mill feeds, 
etc.; also some of the calf meals (if not too high priced) and 
poultry feeds. 
II. Feeds of Minor Importance.—Besides the feeding stuffs 
mentioned in the preceding, a large number of materials find a 
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