From the Feed Trough

Book excerpt: Did you know that if someone else had discovered vitamin K, it would be called vitamin C2 or even vitamin G? Or that sheep and cattle digest fiber with incredible efficiency? Or that the celluloid film originally used in Hollywood movies was derived from the plant fiber cellulose? Or that the calories listed on supermarket food labels don't tell us how much energy we really digest? These and other interesting facts can be found in this absorbing and practical book about livestock nutrition by Woody Lane, PhD.Based on his articles in The Shepherd magazine, From the Feed Trough: Essays and Insights on Livestock Nutrition in a Complex World is a collection of eighty-nine short essays about diverse aspects of ruminant nutrition. Filled with insights and unique perspectives generally absent from textbooks and magazines, the book highlights a wide range of topics, from the basic principles of nutrition to new research, forages, nutritional history, and downright fascinating stories.With its light and entertaining tone, this book leads readers on an enjoyable journey through the underlying principles of livestock nutrition as well as the surprising background stories behind these principles. It's an ideal companion book for farmers, students, teachers, advisors, and others. From the Feed Trough is a must-have volume for anyone involved in livestock nutrition and a captivating read for anyone with even a passing interest in the agricultural sciences.Author Lane is a nationally-known consulting livestock nutritionist and forage specialist living in western Oregon. He is an expert on sheep and beef cattle nutrition, pasture management, and grazing techniques. He earned his doctorate and master's degrees in animal nutrition from Cornell University and has published more than twenty-five research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He currently writes the popular monthly column "From the Feed Trough ..." for The Shepherd magazine.