FEEDING LINSEED

Southland Times, Issue 23308, 18 September 1937, Page 14

FEEDING LINSEED

NEED FOR CARE The Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland publishes a leaflet on “How to Feed Linseed.” The leaflet states: —“The attention of the Ministry has been directed to several cases of calf poisoning caused by the feeding of linseed and linseed cake meal. Investigation has shown that in all cases the poisoning was due, not to the bad quality of the linseed or to the presence of some deleterious material but to lack of care in preparing the food at the farm. Linseed in. its various forms, is a valuable feeding stuff for cattle, and particularly for rearing calves on farms where the bulk of the milk produced is sold. It is, however, necessary to exercise care in its preparation, owing to the fact that linseed contains two substances —an enzyme and a glucoside—which, under certain conditions, produce prussic acid, a deadly poison to all forms of life. The following points should be borne in mind when feeding linseed to young animals: — “1. There is no risk of poisoning if linseed is fed dry, whether whole, crushed, or in the form of cake or meal, as the acid nature of the gastric juices (the juices in the stomach) prevent the action of the enzyme. 2. There is considerable danger in feeding linseed or linseed cake meal after steeping in warm or even in cold water. Both these conditions are favourable for the production of prussic acid, especially if the mash or gruel is allowed to stand for even a short time before using. 3. If it is desired to feed the linseed cake meal or crushed linseed wet, the following procedure should be adopted:—Add the linseed in small portions to boiling water, 31b of linseed to two gallons of water, and boil for 20 minutes. This will destroy the enzyme and obviate all risk of the formation of poison. It is a good practice to add half a pound of wheat flour in the form of a paste five minutes before the gruel has finished boiling. This counteracts the laxative effect of the linseed, and the gruel so formed may be kept for several days.

Where an adequate supply of milk is available, linseed or linseed cake meal is not necessary for rearing calves, but where milk is scarce and linseed is fed, it should be given in the dry condition. Better results will be obtained by giving the milk alone, and then feeding the meals dry in a trough, than by adopting the troublesome and more costly method of making gruel. Moreover, if calves have been trained to eat dry meals they can be more easily weaned and kept in a thriving condition when the supply of milk has to be reduced. In conclusion it may be emphasized that cattle of all ages may be poisoned by the incorrect use of linseed and linseed cake. All risk can be avoided by feeding the material dry or by boiling it before use. It is dangerous to steep any form of linseed in water that is not boiling, and then to feed it to cattle after it has been standing for some time.”