1154 



Feeding Stuffs in March. 



[Mar., 



FEEDING STUFFS IN MARCH. 



E. T. Halnan, M.A., 

 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. 



When purchasing a feeding stuff two items generally are con- 

 sidered by the prospective buyer, namely, the food value and 

 the residual manurial value. For this reason the buyer requires 

 a guide which includes both values, and these will be found 

 in the table on p. 1155. 



The method adopted of valuing feeding stuffs is as follows: — 



The price of the feeding stuff is obtained* (col. 2) ; the 

 manurial value is then ascertained (col. 3) , and is based on the 

 residual manurial value of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 potash present in the feeding stuff. This value remains con- 

 stant so long as the unit value of manures remains approxi- 

 mately constant; there is no necessity to take notice of minor 

 fluctuations. The food value (col. 4) is arrived at by deducting 

 the manurial value from the purchase price, and by dividing 

 the food value by the starch equivalent (col. 5), the price per 

 unit of the starch equivalent (col. 6) is obtained. 



The unit of starch equivalent represents the food value of 

 one-hundredth part of a ton, and divided by 22.4 will give the 

 price per lb. of starch equivalent (col. 7). This column is a 

 useful guide in assessing the relative values of all feeding stuffs 

 given in the table. 



Comparison of present prices with those published in last 

 month's Journal shows a further reduction, and groundnut cake, 

 palm kernel cake and decorticated cotton cake now appear to be 

 comparatively cheap feeding stuffs. In view of the coming spring 

 a purchase of common cotton cake is recommended, as the use of 

 this cake will be found desirable to alleviate scour in cattle 

 turned out to grass. 



Several readers lately have written as to the value of 

 different varieties of maize and its by-products for feeding 

 purposes. At the present time there are two types on the market 

 (either whole or as a meal), known as round and flat maize; the 

 flat type has a feeding value about 1 per cent, higher than the 

 round. Yellow and white varieties of maize of the same type 

 have the same feeding value. In America the flat varieties are 

 known as " dent corn " and the round as " flint corn "; the 

 former, however, are almost exclusively used for feeding stock. 



* The prices quoted in the table are ex mill or store, and do not include 

 transport charges and dealers' commission, which vary in different districts. 

 Readers are advised to calculate the values in accordance with the note at the 

 end of the table. The prices were those current at the end of January. 



