FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION 41 



Mineral Matter Indispensable in Ration 



During recent years the mineral requirements of live 

 stock have received much attention. As you all know, there 

 are many concerns manufacturing mineral mixtures of more 

 or less complexity. These mineral mixtures are being wide- 

 ly advertised, and astonishing claims have been made for 

 some of them. 



There is no question but that an adequate supply of 

 mineral matter is just as important in stock feeding as is a 

 proper supply of protein. This is proved by the fact that 

 an animal will starve sooner if fed plenty of good, but food 

 which is free from mineral matter, than he will if given no 

 food at all. 



Fortunately, Dame Nature has provided for humans 

 and live stock as well quite adequately with reference to 

 mineral matter. The foods we eat and the feeding stuffs 

 we furnish live stock contain all the necessary mineral com- 

 pounds, at least in small amounts. Moreover, the body is 

 able to use many of the mineral compounds over and over, 

 taking them back again into the circulation after having 

 been once used. 



Therefore, for animals which have finished their 

 growth, rations containing plenty of good quality roughage, 

 such as legume hay, will usually furnish a fairly ample sup- 

 ply of all minerals except common salt. 



Stock Need Plenty of Salt 



It is always advisable to supply stock with an ample 

 amount of common salt, except in a few localities where 

 the water or soil contains a large amount of it. This is 

 true in some of the arid "alkali'* districts of the West. 



The necessity of salt for dairy cows was shown many 

 years ago at the University of Wisconsin by Doctor Babcock. 

 He fed dairy cows well-balanced rations, except that they 

 received no salt, save the amount naturally occurring in the 

 feed they received, (Corn, oats, bran and all such feeds 

 always contain some common salt, or sodium chloride). 



