MEAT-MEAL FOR STOCK

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 14

MEAT-MEAL FOR STOCK

Richness in Protein IDEAL FOR~BALANCING RATIONS The February bulletin of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, prepared by Canterbury Agricultural College, deals with the subject of meatmeal for stock. The following section deals with the feeding of calves, cows, foodstuffs produced on the farm are poor in protein. The proportion of protein to energy and fatforming substances is often too low, and because of this maximum results are not being obtained from such foodstuffs unless extra protein is addecL Meat-meal is very rich in protein and. is ideally suited for balancing such rations and so increasing the value of the feeds already on the farm. Normally meat-meal is where the animals are partly or wholly hand fed or rationed, as in winter time or during other periods of natural feed shortage. It is fed in association with bulky feed stuffs such as skim milk, whey, buttermilk, mangels, swedes, and other roots, potatoes, hay, straw, etc.—all of relatively low food value or unbalanced for production purposes. It is also a very valuable protein supplement for feeding with grain, especially in pig feeding. Table I Amounts of whole milk, skim milk, and meat-meal fed a day to calves at various ages.

Amounts of whole milk, whey, and meat-meal fed a day to calves at vari-

During the intervening periods not set out in the above tables the quantities of the foodstuffs should be increased or decreased gradually. Whey is more difficult to feed than skim milk and may result in scouring. This can be checked by the addition of a handful of pollard with each meal until the trouble ceases. With whey feeding it is also advisable to add a salt mixture consisting of half slaked lime and half salt. Give none for the first week, half a teaspoonful a feed for one week, and gradually increase to two teaspoonfuls a feed at five weeks and over.

Meat-meal for Calves When skim milk or whey is used to rear calves, meat-meal is a cheap and useful supplement. Difficulty is sometimes experienced in persuading the calves to take it This may be overcome by introducing a little into the bucket before the calf has finished drinking or by rubbing a little on the muzzle. If the quantities suggested in tables I and II (below) are fed, the cost of the meat-meal, when it is selling at £lO a ton, will approximate 2/3 a calf when it is on skim-milk and 5/- when on whey. A two-ounce cigarette tobacco tin is an approximate measure for three to four ounces of meat-meal, and its use is simpler than weighing and is safer than guessing. The following tables are a guide to the quantities to feed at the ages stated. The amounts are increased gradually between the ages set out below. ' Meat-meal for Sheep . Where supplementary feeding of sheep is practised, meat-meal can frequently be included with advantage in their ration. For example, the following mixture would provide a full ration for an average hogget: A week. Good quality hay 101 b Oatsheaf chaff 81b * Meat-meal 11b Only a quarter or less of this may be necessary, depending upon conditions and the amount of grazing available. Even with a full ration, however, the cost of the meat-meal is only Id a ■week. A ration for ewes under similar conditions during late winter could include: A week. Good hay or oatsheaf chaff 161 b Crushed peas or oats 31b Meat-meal 11b Where hoggets or pregnant ewes are wintered on turnips they will benefit considerably if fed a daily ration of chaff and meat-meal. From one-half to three-quarters of a pound of chaff and one to two ounces of meat-meal a day should be satisfactory. Many other mixtures could be made up. The above will, however, give some idea of suitable rations and the quantities of meat-meal to be included. Meat-meal for Cows Meat-meal may also be included in the ration of cows. Where dry in-calt cows have to be hand fed the following mixtures will be found suitable, especially if about half a pound of meat-meal is added a day: A day Good hay 17—201 b or Good hay 14—151 b Roots or kale 30—351 b

For high producing cows the following mixtures will be found suitable if fed in addition to maintenance or low production rations such as hay, and silage or roots: — (1) Crushed oats 21b, crushed wheat lib, bran Jib, meat-meal Jib. Reed about 3£lb of the mixture a gallon of milk produced, or (2) Bran 21b, crushed oats lib, crushed peas 11b, meat-meal Jib. Feed about 4Jlb of the mixture a gallon of milk produced. Or (3) Oatsheaf chaff Hb, crushed peas, 21b, wheat Jib, meat-meal Jib. Feed about 3flb of the mixture a gallon of milk produced. Wheat, oats, and barley are approximately equivalent in feeding value and may be interchanged in.equal quantities. In the above mixtures the quantities of meat-meal are small. Meat-meal, however, is very rich in protein ,(ap-

proximately 60 per • cent.) and is not necessary in larger amounts in order to bring up the protein content to the level required to balance the proteincarbohydrate ratio satisfactorily.

Age of* Whole Skim Meatcalf. milk. milk. meal. Days. Pints. Pints. Ounces. 2— 8 5—10 9—14 10—2 4- 9 i— 15—20 2- 1 9—12. 1£—3 WeeKs 3— 8 ■■■ — 12—20 3—5 9—12 20-24 5-6 13—16 24-16 6—4 Table n

ous ages. Age of calf. Days. Whole milk. Pints. Whey. Pints. Meatmeal. Ounces 2— 8 5—10 — — 9—14 10- 6 1J- 6 1—3 15—18 * 6— 2 6—10 3—5 19—23 . 10—18 5-8 Weeks. 4—11 «_ 18—24 8—12 12—16 — 20—16 10- 6