132 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



The effect of ensiling upon the nitrogenous compounds is a marked one. The al- 

 buminoids or flesh-formers are largely reduced to the less nutritive form, amides. 



The changes in the relative proportions of the nutrients are more easily followed 

 from a perusal of the percentage composition of the dry matter of the various samples, 

 as given in table II. 



Table II. — Analysis of Corn before and after Ensiling. 

 (Results on water-free substance.) 



Constituents. 



Crude protein 



(nitrogen x G ' 25) 



Fat 



Carbohydrates 



Fibre 



Ash 



Nitrogenous compounds — 



Albuminoids or true pro- 

 tein 



Non-albuminoids (amides, 

 &c.) 



a B 2 

 3 G> O 



CH.3 



a «S O _; 



o ..§2 



i ^ on-" 



894 



054 



53 52 



30 23 



677 



700 

 1-84 



C~ 



Sot 

 p © 



bO ^ OS 



<3 O r " ' 



r3 5 . 



6 







51 



35 



6 



•18 

 •56 

 •75 

 •35 

 16 



3 64 

 2 54 



JB a — i 



"■go* 

 Sb^OT 

 ~-*o 



•53^ 2 • 



I is-si 



7 



1 



51 



34 



5 



•28 

 •12 

 •38 

 ■59 

 63 



366 

 362 



A S> C 



X -„ 4) © 



a ^T N 



oa _, E 



,/2 £ °^ - 



, © -*^> o 



'.,C c3 Oca 



9 

 



52 



29 



8 



•69 

 •46 

 ■36 

 •45 

 04 



781 

 1-88 



C O c« 

 S3 



00 « o" 





fcp, 



Sa 



if*w 



H S 



:§ 



-M C - 

 rt O 00 



7-71 



100 



44 34 



37 43 



952 



511 

 260 



The Composition of the Dry Matter of Com and its Resulting Ensilage. 



Bottom of Silo. — Contrasting ensilage B (floor of silo) with corn A, we notice that 

 the chief differences are in the nitrogenous compounds. There has been some loss in 

 nitrogen during ensiling, amounting to, approximately, .5 per cent, calculated on the 

 dry matter. A much more serious loss from the feeding standpoint is to be noticed in 

 the reduction of the albuminoids into non-albuminoid substances (amides).* 



In the corn as placed in the silo (A), 80 per cent of the total nitrogen present ex- 

 ists in the albuminoid form, whereas in the ensilage taken from floor of silo (B), but 

 59 per cent is present in this more valuable condition. 



Comparing the corn (A) with ensilage (C), taken 2i feet from the bottom of the 

 silo, we find that a further reduction has taken place, and only 50 per cent of the nitro- 

 gen compounds exist as true albuminoids. 



The crude fibre has increased to the extent of from 4 to 5 per cent by ensiling. The 

 other changes are insignificant, the principal one being a loss of about 2 per cent of the 

 carbo-hydrates. 



Middle of Silo. — Comparing the composition of the dry matter of the corn (D) 

 with the resulting ensilage (E) taken 22 feet from the bottom of the silo, we may make 

 the following deductions : — 



The crude protein, obtained by multiplying the total nitrogen by the factor 6 '25, 

 is approximately the same in both, but a reference to the relative proportions contained 

 therein of albuminoids and non-albuminoids reveals that there has been a notable 

 reduction of the former to the latter. Thus, in the corn, 80 per cent of the nitrogen 

 is in the more valuable albuminoid form, whilst in the resulting ensilage only 40 per 

 cent is so present. 



♦The comparative food value of the albuminoids and amides stands approximately 

 at 2-5 : 1, in other words the latter compounds may be considered about on a par with the 

 carbo-hydrates. 



