FEEDSTUFFS 287 



those of stronger constitution made some gains. The trial 

 was carried on in seven lots of mature hens. Cram feeding 

 was also tried with this same ration with one lot of 12 birds, 

 which resulted in throwing 4 "off digestion," finally kilHng 3. 

 The birds with stronger constitution made in some cases good 

 gains. The ration consisted of ground oats, 2 parts; ground 

 wheat, 2 parts; and cotton-seed meal, 1 part. In two lots the 

 liquid used in mixing the mash was buttermilk, in two lots sweet 

 milk, and in the other three water. 



From this it will be seen that 20 per cent, cotton-seed meal 

 in the entire ration for trough fattening of birds is unprofitable, 

 and that in force feeding, as with the cramming machine, the 

 birds of weaker constitution are thrown "off digestion" and 

 may die. In several tests in finishingwork with broilers mash 

 containing 5 per cent, proved profitable. The length of feed- 

 ing period was fourteen to sixteen days. 



Three single comb White Leghorn cockerels were used in 

 palatability tests. The feed consisted of wet mash, consisting 

 of equal parts cornmeal, wheat bran, and cotton-seed meal. 

 The birds went off feed on the fifth day, and while they ate 

 other feeds readily they refused any feed containing the cotton- 

 seed meal. It was not until the lapse of three weeks that they 

 could be induced to eat a ration containing cotton-seed meal, 

 and after again partaking of the mash went off feed in three 

 days. 



There is a possibihty that birds will eat a larger quantity of 

 cotton-seed meal where it is given in dry mash with morning 

 and evening scratch feeds, but the poisonous properties of 

 cotton-seed meal exerts a damaging effect upon the normal 

 physiologic functions of dehcate eaters and birds of rather 

 weak constitution. 



Many birds go off feed when the daily consumption of cot- 

 ton-seed meal reaches about one ounce a day. 



Cotton-seed meal ranks high in protein, containing 37.2 per 

 cent. It contains 12.2 per cent, fat and only 16.9 per cent, 

 carbohydrates. 



Cotton-seed contains a substance which is poisonous to ani- 

 mals consuming large quantities of it. This is probably con- 

 tained in gossypol, which is the coloring matter of the seed and 



