tein) in some form or other in practically all live stock feeding operations in Ohio. Young grown animals, or animals that are pregnant or that are producing milk, more frequently suffer from lack of protein in their rations than do mature animals that are fed solely for maintenance, for fattening, or for work purposes. NEEDS OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS. The needs of different kinds of animals should be considered in compounding rations. Such feeds should be used as will provide an adequate supply of nutrients in as palatable and wholesome form as is possible. Under some conditions only home-grown feeds would be néeded or could be used at a profit. Under other conditions a relatively large use should be made of commercial feeds. Whether home-grown, commercial, or both home-grown and commercial feeds are used, they should be carefully selected, so as to yield the greatest possible profit. LARGE AMOUNTS OF COMMERCIAL FEEDS SHIPPED INTO OHIO. Ohio is not supplied with a large amount of cheap and efficient commercial feeds produced within the state. On the contrary, commercial feeds, excepting wheat bran and middlings, are for the most part shipped in from other states. The great demand for bran and middlings has made the price for these by-products so high that many consider them too expensive, except for special use. Moreover, if all of the bran and middlings that would be yielded by the entire average wheat crop of Ohio were sold in the state, only about one ton per year of bran and middlings combined would be provided for each Ohio farm. In view of these facts it is indeed fortunate that there is available for the use of Ohio feeders a large supply of commercial feeds from other states. The fact that many kinds of commercial feeds are available makes it all the more important for feeders to understand the value and limitations of the different kinds. FEEDS RELATIVELY RICH IN PROTEIN MOST NEEDED. As previously indicated, feeds relatively rich in protein are most frequently needed, although it sometimes occurs that feeds low in protein are available at prices that make it possible to use them at a profit. Hominy feed, dried beet pulp and some of the mixed feeds are the low protein feeds that are most usually purchased. Feeders should seldom. if ever, pay more than corn is worth per pound for a commercial feed no higher in protein than is corn. WHY MIXED FEEDS ARE NOT IN FAVOR WITH BEST FEEDERS. The use of mixed feeds or of "ready rations" is not in high favor with many of the best feeders, as they feel that they can get better results if they do their own mixing of feeds. This plan makes it possible for them to combine feeds in accordance with the needs of their animals. It also makes possible a more intelligent buying of feeds. Feeds vary so much in price from year to year that an economical feed one year might be an extravagant one the next year. Moreover, materials of low feeding value, such as oat hulls, mill sweepings, low grade screenings, etc., are too frequently used in making mixed feed. It should be remembered, however, that mixed feeds may be good and economical feeds. For the owner of a very small number of animals the convenience of mixed feeds is sometimes worth considering. The result of chemical analyses, always useful in indicating the value and limitations of feeds, are of particularly high value in regard to mixed feeds. REASON FOR NOT MAKING DEFINITE RECOMMENDATIONS OF RATIONS. It would not be possible even in an article much longer than this to make definite recommendations of rations that would always be economical, since market prices are so important and varying a factor. The Experiment Station is always ready to assist in selecting rations for farm animals upon request. In order to do this intelligently, the Station would need information concerning kind of live stock to be fed and local prices for farm-grown and commercial feeds that are available. CLASSIFICATION OF FEEDING STUFFS. Feeding stuffs offered for sale in Ohio can for convenience be livided into the following classes: 40% PROTEIN and over: Cotton Seed Meal, Blood Meal, Meat Scraps, Feeding Tankage, etc. 30% to 40% PROTEIN: Linseed Meal, some Distillers' Grains, Soy Beans, etc. 20% to 30% PROTEIN: Gluten Feed, Corn Germ Meal, Calf Meal, Dried Distillers' Grains, some Malt Sprouts, Special Dairy Rations, Cow Peas, etc. 10% to 20% PROTEIN: Dairy Feed, Wheat Bran, Wheat Middlings, Molasses Dairy Feed, some Distllers' Grains, Barley Meal, Corn, Wheat, some Hominy Feed, Alfalfa Feed, Sugar Feed, some Mixed Feed, etc. Below 10% PROTEIN: Corn and Oats Chop, Cotton Seed Hulls, Buckwheat Hulls, Low Grade Oats Feed, Corn Bran, some Mixed Feeds, some Hominy Feeds, Dried Beet Pulp, etc. THE WEIGHT OF ONE QUART OF VARIOUS FEEDING STUFFS. The following table gives the average weight of one quart of the feeds named therein, and will be found to be useful to the feeder: It has seemed advisable to enlarge the list of Farm Products hitherto published in the bulletins of this Department, so as to enable the purchaser of feed stuffs to compare the same with ordinary feed stuffs produced upon the farm, which are not subject to official inspection and analysis. As the money value of the latter is fairly well known to the |