Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1895 — THE FEEDING VALUE OF OATS. [ARTICLE]

THE FEEDING VALUE OF OATS.

Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. Newsr paper Bulletin, No. 13, I Sept. 23, 1895. Tae price paid farmers for oats at the prt sent lime is lower than for many years, perhaps the lowest in the history Of the United States. From to 1895, the average value for o-its iu the United States in any one year was 22.9 for 1889. The quotations on oats] in Chicago markets today are 10 to 12 cents less per bushel than for a j r ear ago at this time. At Lafayette, Indiana, farmers are paid 16 cents per bushel for No. 2 white oats, and extra choice old oats can be bought of commission m* n fer 20 cents. One hundred pounds of average oats and corn are each supposed to contain the following amounts of food nutrients that are digested by the animal body.

Protein Carbohydrates Fat. Oats ..... .....9.25 43.34. 4.18 Corn... 7.92 G6.C9 4 28 Protein is the flesh or mu cle forming materia’, while Carb hydrates and Fat are important fat forming foods. Of the two foods, protein is the most expensive to produce. The so called ‘’rich” foods, are so designated on account of having a larger per centage of protein than the others, and they are usually the highest priced foods in the market. Oil meal is a good example of this class of foods containing a large per cent, of ptotciu. From the above it can be keen that 100 [Kiunds of oats contain decided 13more fltsh or muscle forming food than 100 pounds of corn. On the bisis of L-.fayette quotations, 100 pounds of cats would fetch 50 cents, and 100 pounds of corn, 48 cents. v In view of these cxlrenuly low prices, the writer believes feeders wilt do wr-11 to feed oats, than s«!l them and buy bran, which is now 70 ernts per 100. No other grain i* superior, if equal to oats as a food for Working horses. For growing cattle or sheep or milch cows it is most de-

Birable, and should be much more generally fed than it is. Instead of feeding corn as the only grain, a decided improvement would be a mixture of two parts groun&corn and one part oats. While oats aie less referred to than other common grains, in recommending feeding rations, it is not because of inferior value, but ratheT from the cost of this food. At the present time, however, the low price will warranjfits more ex ensiye use. In a li t of 100 rations used by prominent dairy catile'feeders in the United Suites and Canada, published by the Wisconsin experiment station, oats are fed 35 times. Of 9 Canadian feeders, 8 added ground oats to the’rations. It is not the purpose of this communication, to reflect upon the feeding value of other food stuffs, but rather io urge a more extensive use of oats, especially during the present depression in prices.

C. S. PLUMB, Dlreetor.