AVAILABLE GROUND FEEDS 



209 



select the ingredients for a mash. We will commence with the 

 by-products of wheat. 



Bran is probably the most commonly used, all-round stock 

 food. It is the outer layer of the wheat kernel and is rich in 

 mineral matter. By reason of its flaky nature, bran gives the 



{Courtesy U. S. Dep't Agriculture) 

 Fig. 138. — Chickens in feeding batteries, being fattened for market. 



mash a light, bulky texture, and this condition is preferred by 

 fowls. Bran is fibrous and slightly laxative. It is compara- 

 tively rich in nutrients, though its digestibility is rather low. 

 Bran and corn meal comprise the bulk of most poultry mashes. 

 As might be supposed, there is a wide variation in the quality 

 of bran, which is due to the milling process — how thin the out- 

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