86 



Feeding Stuffs in Aprii, 



[Apr., 



FEEDING STUFFS IN APRIL. 



E. T. Halnan, M.A., 

 Ministru of Agriculture and Fisheries. 



In last month's notes it was stated that eggs contained all 

 the vita mines considered essential to the well being of the young 

 growing animal. It should have been stated that eggs, like 

 most animal products, are deficient in the anti-scorbutic factor. 

 Although our present knowledge does not enable us to state 

 whether this factor is indispensable as a component of a normal 

 growth dietary, it is well to mention its absence in order to 

 remove any misapprehension which may arise through the state- 

 ment made. The anti-scorbutic factor is of course abundant in 

 most fresh vegetable foods, such as cabbage, swedes and 

 carrots. 



Farm and Consuming Values. — It will be noted that the 

 expression " consuming value " as apphed to potatoes, swedes, 

 mangolds and silage, has been replaced in the table by the term 

 " farm value." The object of this is to avoid the possibility 

 of confusing the value given with the value assigned to farm 

 goods by valuers. The " consuming value " of a food, as given 

 by valuers, is arrived at generally by taking two -thirds of the 

 market value of the food, after allowing for costs of marketing 

 and residual manurial value. The figures given in the table, 

 however, represent the actual value to the farmer foi- feeding 

 purposes on the farm, together with the manurial value, and do 

 not allow for cost of marketing. The value assigned by a valuer 

 to potatoes on a farm will, as a general rule, have quite a 

 different value to that given in the table. 



Maize and Maize Products. — An average sample of maize 

 contains approximately 1.5 per cent, ash, 2.2 per cent, crude 

 fibre, 4.5 per cent. oil. 10 per cent, protein and 70 per cent, 

 starchy material. It is relatively high in oil and starch, medium 

 in protein, and low in fibre, and is, therefore, pre-eminently a 

 fattening foodstuff. The protein of maize bv itself is unsuit- 

 able for young growing animals, so that if maize i^s used it 

 must be supplemented witli foods rich in protein and mineral 

 matter. In the case of growing and breeding stock, maize or 

 maize meal should in no case exceed one -half of the ration, 

 about one-third being the best proportion. Oats or bran with 

 linseed meal, lucerne or clover hay, and pasture are suitable 

 additions to a maize dietary. 



In the case of fattenin.o^ stock, particularly pigs, maize or 

 maize meal may form with advantage the bulk of the food. 

 Whether the maize should be given whole or crushed, or in the 



