Show Minerals Mineras in Food Easy as to o Supply u Dependable Calcium Salts Not Expensive and Satisfying By DR H. H H. H MITCHELL of Agriculture University of Illi Illi- nois Service In spite of all aU the mystery and discussion discussIon discussion dis dis- about the feeding of ot minerals minerals miner mIner- als to live lye stock the whole thing simmers down In most cases to the simple little matter of supplying lime salts and common salt In the I rations of ot swine and poultry Other classes of ot live stock so sel seldom om nee need minerals except for tor common salt that they need not be considered For pigs and poultry two or even en one of ot the dependable calcium minerals minerals minerals min min- mixed with salt In the proportions proportions proportions of ot three or four tour parts of ot the mineral to one part of ot the salt makes a n simple cheap and effective e mineral mixture Even this mixture Is la an nn extravagance when the ration contains rich calcium-rich feeds teeds such as I milk products alfalfa or orthe orthe the like If It pigs do not eat ent minerals minerals minerals miner miner- als when getting such rations In all probability they do not need them There are several se calcium salts that are readily available relatively cheap and of ot proven worth Bone meal has hns no superior as a source both of ot calcium and phosphorus phosphate Is more moro soluble than bone meal It Is true but In extensIve extensive ex ex- ex- ex e. e experiments er ments on growing swine at this station It has not proved superior to bone meal notwithstanding notwithstanding not not- withstanding Its Us citrate ity Citrate solubility means menDS little or nothing In animal feeding since animals can cnn digest and absorb absorb ab nb ab- ab e. e extremely remely Insoluble minerals such as ns calcium silicate phosphate Is also more expensive than bone meal Cheaper than either of ot these two minerals are arc rock phosphate nn and limestone Of these two limestone Is much to be preferred As a calcium calcium cal cal- clum mineral It Is but little Inferior Interior to io bone meal and If It the ration contaIns contains con con- talus liberal amounts of nitrogenous concentrates which are are- high In phosphorus It Is for all practical purposes as ns good as bone meal are distinctly less valuable than high-calcium high Rock phosphate has not proved pro to bo be a good supplement In nil all cases and unless u used d In restricted restricted restricted re re- re- re amounts Is distinctly toxic to farm animals In the self-feeding self of ot a mineral mixture It would be safer sater- to omit this mineral entirely Wood ashes are sometimes good but are always uncertain sources of ot calcium because of ot their variable compo composition |