Mineral Content of Southern Poultry Feeds 
33 
furnish sufficient mineral salts which are essential for proper growth. 
In tests with Feed Mixtures 5 to 10 the chicks were allowed the run 
of the grassy yards and were not given grain mixtures. The mor¬ 
tality was not greater than other tests where grain mixtures were fed. 
It is not essential to give grain mixtures where chicks run at large and 
can secure bugs, waste grain and other feeds. • 
In nine flocks of Single Comb Rhode Island Red chicks given Mixture 
7 with milk and with milk to drink the average weight per chick at the 
age of eight weeks was 1.33 pounds, while eight flocks given the same 
feed but did not receive milk averaged 1.15 pounds each. The milk 
lot averages 13 per cent greater in weight than the water lot. This 
difference in weight is due partly to the increased minerals required. 
The fat remaining in the skim milk furnishes needed fat soluble vita- 
mine, and the milk also contains suitable proteins. 
Nine flocks of Buff Plymouth Rock chicks were given Mixture 10 
with milk and with milk to drink. These birds averaged, at the end of 
eight weeks, 1.30 pounds while four flocks given the same mixture 
but no milk to drink averaged but 0.88 pound each. The milk lot aver¬ 
aged 47 per cent greater in weight than the water lot. 
Twenty-two flocks of White Plymouth Rock chicks were given 
Mixture 9 with milk and milk to drink, at the end of eight weeks these 
chicks averaged 1.03 pounds each while five flocks given the same 
feed but no milk averaged 0.65 pounds each. The milk lot averaged 
58 per cent greater in weight than the water lot. 
The results thus far show greater development in those birds receiv¬ 
ing nearer the required amounts of mineral matter. These are the 
ones receiving animal feeds as bone meal, meat and bone meal, meat 
scrap, or milk together with green feed and crushed oyster shell and 
limestone grit. 
THE POTENTIAL ALKALINITY AND POTENTIAL ACIDITY OF 
SOUTHERN POULTRY FEEDS* 
IMPORTANCE OF THESE STUDIES 
In the future balancing of rations, there is a possibility that some of 
the expensive ingredients will be “cut out” as we find just those ele¬ 
ments which are essential to produce the greatest results, and just those 
feeds that contain them. In other words, in the future we are going to 
more intelligently and more economically feed our birds for the results 
we are trying to attain. 
It is essential to take into consideration many things in compounding 
the ration or feed mixture, and that simply so much protein to a cer- 
*The analytical work was done by Dan. M. McCarty and Jno. E. Ivey of this station 
