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THE VALLEY SETTLER is published
every Friday by the Yrrtc.no.aka
Valley Farmers Cooperative Associ
ation at Palmer, Alaska.
Mng, Editor: Mrs. Ivan ’Ailson
Subscription rates: $1.00 year
by mail: 1.50 "
mailed anywhere : 10 ^ copy
This paper is issued for the pur
pose of giving information and
news of the Matonuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association*3
work, problems, accomplishments,
and alo, news of local and gen
eral interest; and to help foster
the cooperative spirit of the
farmers of the Matanuska Valley.
THE WALLOP OF A VITAMIN
Vo luma hove been v;titten every
year concerning vitamins cn d their
importance to human beings and
animals alike. V/c have been told
what will happen if we have cer
tain vitamin deficiencies and
sometimes it is quite startling to
say the least.
Many large research laboratories
have specialized in the study of
vitamins and their relative impor
tance to health.
One extremely large Isboratory on
the west coast gives us some very
valuable information which wo could
apply to the raisinc f chickens.
None of us and none of our ani
mals would live long if our food
were entirely lacking in any of
these important vitamins. However,
the danger is not a complete lack
of the vitamins, but a deficiency
of one or morn.
In the case cf vitamin A, a defic
iency of it would produce impaired
vision, cause injury to the lining
of the respiratory passages and
sinus. It would lower resistance
to infections, cause inflammation
of the intestines, retard growth
and injure the nervous system.
Consider these facts in the rais
ing of baby chicks and your past
experience,
Also, vitamin A is inactivated by
oxygen at high temperatures and
may completely loose its potency.
For instance; in the animal body,
vitamin A may be obtained from
the green coloring matter of
grasses, and any quantity of it
that is not being used to promote
growth or appetite or improve di
gestion or protect you against
infections of the respiratory trnct
etc., is sent to the liver where
it is stored, > - - '• .o'
You have no doubt scona stack of
fine alfalfa hay in a field and
you have observed the outer layer
quic kly loses its color in the
pr .3once of sunlight and weather.
While wc know that this color is
not necessarily and fully related
to vitamin A, you can generally
say that the 103s of tho greon .
coloring matter indicates tho loss
of this essential part.
From this wo might see the import
ance of feeding our hcn3 and other
live stock hay that i3 put up in.
good condition which retains its
green coloring matter.
Another vitamin that is of groat
importance to animals is vitamin
D. God liver oil has been con
sidered important as a carrier of
vitamin D, but resent discovery
has proven that halibut oil is
far richer in'this 'vitamin than
cod liver oil.
Therefore, in feeding our stock
especially chickens vitamin A and
D, it is well to remember thftse
two things, feed green hay or
alfalfa leaves and possibly
halibut liver ’ill.
ATTENTION PLEASE
All Colonists who are interested
in obtaining cows under the new
program are urged to return their
application forms to the general
office within the next few days.
The purchasing program has gotten
under way much faster than antic
ipated, hense the need of your
application.