FOOD FOR STOCK

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6887, 17 April 1929, Page 10

FOOD FOR STOCK

The Perfect Ration BALANCED CONCENTRATES At one time when our knowledge of animal nutrition was in/initosima] as compared with that of to-day, proprietary feeding stuffs were made up more or less indiscriminately. But now feeding stuffs makers, in the face of strong competition and as a result of scientific knowledge, arc balancing their cakes and meals in accordance with the most up-to-date iindings on animal nutrition and with due regard to practical considerations. The larger lirms not only employ highly-skilled chemists and other laboratory workers, but they test out in the most searching way all new mixtures before placing them on the market. It may be said, in fact, that cur physiologists supply what may be termed the technical data, and manufacturers dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the practical application of the results of the scientist's investigations. My own impression is that the scientife worker is somewhat reluctant t:o give adequate blessing to the praiseworthy work of ' tho manufacturers, says a writer in the Farmer and Stockbreeder. Tt- was therefore, with pleasure that I read tho remarks by Dr. J. B. Orr, Director of the 11 owelt Institute, to tho effect that the feeding cakes and meals, offered by the larger companies were now balanced up iu the light of the most recent seicntiiic knowledge. The same cannot, unfortunately, bo said. 0f... the mixtures used on many farms. Cheapness, while essential in these times of narrow profits, . is of secondary important to the employment of a mixture from which the greatest possible liveweight gain for < each pound fed can be obtained. The day when barley meal and , middlings was regarded as a suitable ] ration for pigs is rapidly passing, but ( there arc still mar.;/—and I know of t several in my own immediate district— , who save pence on the purchase of un- ; balanced foods, and by so doing add materially to costs of production. The dearest foodstuffs of all is, generally j speaking, that which the representative j f a well-known firm thrusts upon one y at market; the next dearest is that j which one attempts to make up solely f on price consideration. The cheapest is that which one knows to be balanced corectly for the particular class of c stock for which it is intended. a In this connection, adds the writer, I was attracted by the claims made in a pamphlet received a few weeks ago from a large firm ot millers who by,, adopting the advice of one ot tho lead- 1 ing seicntiiic workers, made up three , pig mixtures from which exceptionally j good results were received. One feed- - er claimed that he secured lib. live ( weight for less than 2Ub._ of balanced ; mixture. The adoption of this ration. t it is stated, enables one to produce a 7 10-score pig in 2 weeks at a cost of £'2 las., against 00 weeks at £4 2s. (id., wlmn barley meal and sharps arc used, ■ and 27 weeks at £3 155., when the pigs are fed on barley meal, sharps and hsn r or meat meal. a