596 



ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE 



Off. Doc. 



Dry matter, about ouo-tLird. 



Crude protein, about three-fourths. 



Crude fat, about four-fifths. 



Nitrogen-free extract, about one-fifth. 



Total ash, about two-thirds. 



Phosphoric acid, about three-fifths. 



Potash, about one-eleventh — one-twelfth. 

 Lintner gives slightly different proportions for the ash constit- 

 uents retained, viz: Phosphoric acid, two-thirds; potash, one-sixth; 

 all the lime and most of the magnesia. 



The average composition of the fresh grains as given by Dietrich 

 and Konig and the coefficients of digestibility determined for oxen 

 b}' G. Kuhn, are: 



Water, 



Dry matter, 



Ash 



v)rganic matter 



Crude protein, 



Crude fiber 



Nitrogen-free extract 

 Crude fat, 



Drying the Grains: The moist grains sour quickly and become 

 undesirable for feeding purposes. They may be packed in silos, 

 but the product obtained is not satisfactory and the process of 

 ensilage is accompanied by a large loss of valuable material. Atten- 

 tion was early turned to the preservation of the grains, without 

 loss of nutrients, by drying. At first, the plan of drying partially, 

 mixing with a dry feed such as bran and then baking or drying the 

 mixture was tried. The result was only partially satisfactory. 

 Sometimes the wet grains were mixed with kiln-dried malt. 



The present methods were first employed early in the eighties. In 

 the methods used the aim is to dry the grains without loss of 

 nutrients, without affecting their digestibility and at the least cost. 



At first the grains were submitted to a preliminary pressing, and 

 this procedure is still practiced by some. This pressing removes, 

 however, not only the water and the substances dissolved in it, 

 but also some of the most valuable nutrients that are present in 

 suspension, the greater loss being in this suspended matter. In 



