Feed Grain

Feed Grain 

the grain of cereal and leguminous crops, used as fodder for farm animals. Feed grains belong to the group of concentrated feeds, since they contain a very high amount of easily digestible nutritive substances per unit volume as compared to other feeds. The grain of cereals contains up to 75 percent carbohydrates, 10-12 percent protein, 2-5 percent fat, and 1-4 percent inorganic substances (mainly salts of phosphoric acid and potassium) and vitamins of the B and E groups. The grain of legumes contains 20-25 percent protein (up to 35 percent in soybeans) and 1-2 percent fat (about 15 percent in soybeans).

The main cereal feed grains are corn, oats, barley, rye, millet, green bristle grass, and sorghum; legumes include the vetch, lentils, soybeans, common beans, horse beans, and chick-peas. Feed grains are fed to all types of animals in ground, crushed, or milled form. Because of the presence of binding substances, large doses of leguminous feeds sometimes cause constipation. Particular caution is exercised in feeding leguminous grains to pregnant animals. The feeding of grain that is blackened, rotten, or strongly infected by fungal diseases, or that contains considerable amounts of harmful admixtures that cannot be removed, is forbidden.