THE FEEDS 337 



starch, which is the last material stored in tHe grain, failed 

 to reach it before growth ceased. As such wheat is unfit 

 for flour-making, it may usually be purchased at a less price 

 than fully matured wheat, while it is more valuaible for 

 feeding purposes. 



The amounts of digestible nutrients found in 100 pounds of 

 wheat as determined by digestion experiments with chickens 

 are 8.9 pounds of protein, 1.1 pounds of fat, and 62.6 pounds 

 of nitrogeri-free extract. It contains 1.8 pounds of ash and 

 has a nutritive ratio for chickens of 1 to 7.3. The crude fiber 

 content is 1.8 pounds. 



Shrunken wheat has been found to carry 4 per cent, 

 more digestible protein than plump wheat on the basis of 

 digestion experiments with other animals. On this basis its 

 nutritive ratio was 1 to 4.6. 



Wheat Screenings. -^ScTeenings are the refuse of the better 

 grades of wheat. They usually contain weed seeds, broken' 

 and shrunken kernels, and often much trash in the form of 

 chaff, straw, and dirt. The feeding value depends upon the 

 quality. Musty, smutty, heated, or burnt wheat should never 

 be fed, because of the bad effect upon the digestive organs 

 of the fowl. 



Mash Constituents. — As previously noted, it is considered 

 good feeding practice to furnish about one-third of the ration 

 in a finely ground form comprising what is termed a mash. 

 The mash furnishes an opportunity of supplementing the 

 whole grains which arei normally deficient in protein and 

 saves the energy that would be used up by the gizzard in 

 grinding the whole ration. The mash constituents, which 

 are frequently grain or animal by-products, usually furnish 

 digestible protein in a cheaper form than do the whole grains. 



The further fact should not be lost sight of, that in market- 

 ing nearly every farm product except butter, considerable 

 nitrogen, the characteristic element in protein, is being carried 

 off the farm. It is excellent farm practice to replace this 

 nitrogen by the purchase of the concentrated by-products 

 used as tihe mash constituents of a ration. 



Care should be taken to see that the constituents of the 

 mash are evenly ground. Any coarse particles are likely to 

 22 



