496 Report op the Department of Animal FIlsbandry of the 



The experimental animal stood in a stall the fioor of which was 

 covered with metal, the trench behind being practically a metal 

 lined box, this construction making it possible to recover any 

 excreta that through accident might fall to the floor. 



The daily ration was fed in three equal portions, morning, noon 

 and night. Water was offered at stated times, and the animal 

 was weighed at the same hour each day. Two men were employed 

 for the collection of the urine and feces, one during the night and 

 the other during the day. The excreta were caught in tin ves- 

 sels, the one used for the urine being so constructed as to prevent 

 loss of the liquid by spattering. As far as known there was loss 

 of these materials in but a single instance and that was small. 



The weights of urine and feces represent that which was voided 

 during twenty-four hours from six o'clock a. m. 



The Foods. 



The first matter requiring attention in the experiment herein 

 reported was the selection or preparation of foods containing 

 small quantities of fat. In certain grain foods, such as rice, bar- 

 ley and peas, the percentages of fat are comparatively low, and if 

 these could have been fed unaccompanied by any coarse fodder the 

 selection of a ration would have been a much simpler matter. 

 Under the circumstances, it was decided to attempt to extract the 

 fats from some of the ordinary cattle foods by treating them with 

 a light benzol. It was clearly impossible to do this by any means 

 at our command, and, therefore, we sought the cooperation of 

 some manufacturer engaged in the extraction of vegetable oils 

 The Cleveland Linseed Oil Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, very 

 kindly undertook to do the work for us, and, consequently, we 

 shipped to their works at South Chicago a thousand pounds of 

 finely chopped hay and about fifteen hundred pounds each of corn 

 meal and ground oats. The extraction of these materials evi- 

 dently was found to be troublesome, requiring repeated treat- 

 ment, and while the fats were not entirely removr^d, this Station 

 is under great obligations to this company for giving the work 

 such faithful and efficient attention as to make our experiment 

 possible. 



