The Stock-Feeder's Manual / the chemistry of food in relation to the breeding and feeding of live stock

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25520

Title

The Stock-Feeder's Manual / the chemistry of food in relation to the breeding and feeding of live stock

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Sir Charles Alexander Cameron's authoritative guide applies advanced chemical analysis to livestock nutrition, breeding, and management. This practical manual details the composition of animal tissues, evaluates the nutritive value of diverse feeds from grains to oil-cakes, and offers economic strategies for maximizing meat, milk, and butter production while optimizing manure value.

Summary up to 500 words

In *The Stock-Feeder's Manual*, Sir Charles Alexander Cameron bridges the gap between emerging chemical science and traditional agriculture, presenting livestock farming as a precise mechanism for converting food into heat, motive power, and tissue. Cameron rigorously analyzes the composition of organic substances, distinguishing between nitrogenous 'flesh-formers' and non-nitrogenous 'heat-givers,' while challenging outdated theories that suggested food was simply burned for warmth. He argues that heat is evolved during the decomposition of both nitrogenous and fatty constituents within the animal body. The text provides extensive tables of recent chemical analyses performed by distinguished scientists like Dr. Thomas Anderson and Dr. Voelcker. These data cover a vast array of vegetable foods, including grasses, clovers, turnips, roots, grains, and seeds, detailing specific constituents such as starch, sugar, cellulose, and various fats. Cameron also examines artificial foods like linseed-cake and rape-cake, discussing their composition, adulteration risks, and economic viability. He notes that concentrated, nitrogen-rich diets yield more valuable fertilizer than bulkier options, calculating the monetary value of manure produced from different feeds. Beyond chemistry, the manual addresses the economic realities of farming and the management of specific livestock, including Shorthorns, Herefords, various sheep breeds, pigs, and horses. The work dedicates significant attention to the production and quality of meat, milk, and butter, providing farmers with scientific tools to compete effectively against foreign producers. Cameron addresses the growing demand for animal protein in the late 19th century, noting that while foreign grain could be imported cheaply, cattle could not generally be imported at a lower rate than domestic production. He concludes that understanding the chemical basis of nutrition is essential for sustainingably meeting this demand and maximizing profits through careful attention to the cost of mechanisms, raw materials, and the value of resulting meat and manure.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Downloaded at

2026-07-05 01:32 UTC

Categories

• Livestock
• Feeds