208 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



corn and timothy hay or corn stover, which are fed by too many 

 of our so-called dairymen. 



We must not lose sight of the fact that the kind, character 

 and amount of food to be supplied depends upon the use to wlucn 

 it is to be put by the animal. 



An idle horse, a steer, or dry cow can be wintered on food 

 which would not answer for a horse at hard labor, a fattening 

 steer, or cow giving a large flow of milk. 



In order that an animal may carry on, to the best of advan- 

 tage, the work required of it, it must be supplied with the proper 

 kind and amount of foods best adapted to its purpose. 



In feeding for speed, we must provide foods which are not 

 too bulky and which furnish materials for a large amount of 

 energy. If we expect an animal to lay on fat we feed materials 

 containing large amounts of nutrients which go to make fat. If 

 we are feeding for milk production, we must feed materials 

 containing a sufficient amount of the nutrients found in milk. 



In one respect, practically all food materials are alike. The}) 

 all contain the essential food elements or nutrients. The five 

 important of these are : water, ash, carbohydrates, fats, and 

 proteids. If all foods contain all these, why are not all foods 

 suitable for all feeding purposes? Because they differ widely 

 in percentage composition and also in their physical chacacter- 

 istics; nor are these nutrients equally digestible in all kinds of 

 food. 



Let us examine these nutrients and see why their proportion 

 in any given food is of importance. The first mentioned was 

 water, which is abundant and free; hence need not be consid- 

 ered. The second is ash, which is usually present in sufficient 

 quantities in ordinary foods, and can, for this reason, be ignored. 

 The third is the carbohydrates, which includes the starches and 

 sugars. The fourth is the fats or oils. The fifth and the one of 

 most importance to us in this discussion is the proteids or albu- 

 minoids, which are well represented by the white of eggs. 



