FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



71 



The importance of asparagin for animal nutrition, M. Chomsky 

 (Ber. Physiol. Lab. Landw. Inst. Halle, 13, pp. 1-42). — To study the 

 nutritive value of asparagin an experiment divided into live periods 

 was made with a Southdown sheep. The periods were all of eight 

 days' duration, except the fourth, which was seven days. In the first 

 period the animal was fed a normal ration, which contained as little 

 uonalbuminoid nitrogen as possible. For this purpose oat straw and 

 sesame cake were selected. In the second period the ration contained 

 the same amount of nitrogen-free material, but the amount of protein 

 was diminished. In the third period the ration was the same as in the 

 second period, except that asparagin was substituted for the protein 

 omitted. In the fourth period, the ration was made up of the same 

 ingredients as in the first period but contained a larger quantity of 

 protein. In the fifth period the ration was the same as in the fourth, 

 except that part of the protein was omitted and an equivalent amount 

 of asparagin substituted for it. The food, urine, and feces were 

 analyzed. The results of the experiment are reported in lull aud are 

 summarized hi the following table: 



Results of sheep feeding experiment. 



Kation: 600 gm. oat straw, 



7 240 gin. potato starch, and — 



150 gm, sesame cake, 102 gm. 

 cane sugar 



75 gm. sesame cake, 111.6 gm. 

 cane sugar, 7 cc. sesame oil 



75 gm. sesame cake, 111.6 gm. 

 cane sugar, 24.45 gm. aspar- 

 agin, 7 cc. sesame oil 



150 gin. sesame cake. 75 gm. 

 fat-free sesame cake, 102 

 gm. cane sugar 



150 gin. sesame cake, 102 gm. 

 cane sugar, 24.45 gm. as- 

 paragin 



Coefficients of digestibility. 



Nitrogen in- 



Dry Pro- 

 matter tein. 



Fat. 



Perct.\ Peret.\ Per ct, 



50. 62 57. 62 57. 69 

 51.04 26.57 58.68 



57. 17 51. 27 



50. 85 

 61.00 



62.15 

 66.25 



62.27 

 62.89 

 61.39 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Nitro- 

 gen- 

 free 



Food. 



Perct.l Perct. Gm. 



44.25 : 72.15 

 35. 04 65. 40 



40.12 

 45.40 

 48.49 



12.01 

 6.95 



70. 57 



71. SO 17. OS 



71.39 



Urine., Feces. 



Gm. 



4.61 

 1.96 



4.26 



7.97 



9.46 



Gain ( + ) 

 or loss 

 (-) of 

 nitro- 

 gen. 



Gm. Gm. 



5.09 |-2.3i 



5.10 —0.11 



5.61 +1.64 



6.46 +2.65 



5.59 +1.53 



At the beginning of the test the sheep weighed 42.4 kg. During the 

 first period he gained 1.7 kg., during the second period his weight 

 remained unchanged, during the third period the gain was 1 kg., and 

 during the fourth and fifth periods 0.0 kg. 



In the author's opinion the experiment shows that asparagin cau take 

 the place of protein only when combined with carbohydrates ; that is, 

 when it forms part of a normal ration or one containing an amount of 

 carbohydrates greater than necessary. Asparagin does not simply 

 improve the digestibility of carbohydrates, but exercises a definite 

 function which is different from that of carbohydrates. 



The author also reports an experiment with the same sheep in which 

 amid nitrogen was substituted for protein. The amid nitrogen was 

 supplied iu the form of beets. The ration consisted of 000 gm. of oat 



