772 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



cent, the tankage ration ].S.l per cent, and the germ oil meal ration 10.4 per 

 cent more efficient than corn by itself. . . . 



" The character of the increase produced by these rations was quite different. 

 The tendency of tive of these rations to cause growth of muscle and of internal 

 organs was in the following order: Wheat middlings, linseed oil meal, soy 

 beans, tankage, and corn alone. This was practically in accord with the phos- 

 phorus content of the rations; the tankage ration, however, failed to make 

 growth in accord with its phosphorus content, probably because of the fact that 

 its phosphorus was present mostly as bone. . . . 



" The most striking peculiarity of the linseed meal ration is the high pro- 

 portion of ash to protein in the meat produced by this feed. 



" The germ oil meal ration occupied the opposite extreme from the linseed 

 meal ration as regards the ash content of the tenderloin muscles, the percentage 

 being lower than with any other lots. 



" With hogs fed on corn alone the bones, muscles, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart 

 and spleen all compose an abnormallj^ small proportion of the increase in 

 weight, and fat composes an abnormally large part of the increase. 



" The muscles of corn-fed pigs are high in fat and low in protein and in 

 water, but the percentage of water in the fat-free meat is decidedly high. 

 The proportion of ash to protein in the flesh of corn-fed pigs, however, is 

 not low. 



" The livers of corn-fed liogs are small and low in ash and in phosphorus. 



" Compared with rations containing more protein, corn produces small, fat 

 kidneys. The low-proteid corn ration makes less extensive requirements, and 

 so produces less development of the kidneys than other rations containing more 

 in-otein. This has a bearing on the feeding of growing animals. The eliminative 

 functions of the body will not reach full development if the animal be reared 

 on a minimum protein allowance." 



In the second and third experiments a study was made of the balance between 

 the inorganic acids and bases in the rations fed. The elements considered were 

 calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulphur, phosphorus, and chlorin. The 

 rations consisted of corn alone; hominy, blood flour and bran extract; hominy, 

 blood flour and lecithin ; hominy, blood flour and bone meal ; and hominy, blood 

 flour and sodium phosphate. In all of the rations there was an excess of 

 mineral acid over minei*al base, this excess being somewhat lower in the bone 

 meal lot than in the others and considerably greater in corn than in the mixed 

 ration. The corn ration besides having the most acid ash had the least calcium, 

 sodium, chlorin, and sulphur, and the most magnesium, potassium, and phos- 

 phorus, and the smallest proportion of proteid to nonproteid organic nutrients. 



The hogs usetl weighed about 125 lbs. each and were mostly grade Poland- 

 Chinas, 6 months of age. 



" The excess of magnesium in proportion to calcium in foods appears to 

 cause a counteractive liberation of calcium from the tissues, especially the 

 bones, and thus we may produce malnutrition of the bones merely by the ex- 

 cessive use of a food characterized by disproportionate amounts of magnesium 

 and calcium. 



" The ash of the bran extract used in these experiments was, as is the ash of 

 bran, about neutral. Hence this removal of ash from the bones was not acidosis, 

 though the effects upon the bones was the same. Water extract of wheat bran 

 is a very palatable food. Its nutritive value was most pronounced when used 

 in moderation ; the pathological consequences appeared when fed in larger 

 amounts. 



