322 



EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



experiment was divided into 3 periods. The plan was to feed the basal 

 ration of period 1 throughout the experiment, adding a moderate quan- 

 tity of starch to the ration of sheep aSTo. 1 in the second i)eriod and an 

 isodyuaniic quantity of fat to the ration of sheep No. 2, and reversing- 

 these additions in the third period. It was found that sheep No. 2 could 

 not eat as much as No. 1, so a somewhat smaller basal ration was fed, 

 and owing to lack of time the third period was omitted with sheep No. 2. 

 The basal ration of sheep No. 1 consisted of 800 gm. of meadow hay 

 and 200 gm. of flaxseed from which the fat had been partially extracted 

 by pressing, etc.; 174 gm. of starch was added in the second period 

 and 60 gm. of olive oil in the third. The basal ration of sheep No. 2 

 consisted of 050 gm. of meadow hay and 200 gm. of the flaxseed, and 

 50 gm. of olive oil was added in the second j^eriod. 



The food, urine, and feces were analyzed. Tables are given showing 

 the amount and composition of the urine and feces, the amount and 

 percentage of the nutrients digested, and the balance of income and 

 outgo of nitrogen. The coefficients of digestibility for each period for 

 each sheej) are shown in the following table: 



Coefficients of digestihilitu in experiments with sheep. 



Ration. 



Animal. 



Hay and iiaxseed 



^Do 



Hav, flaxseed, and olive oil.. 



^bo 



Hay, flaxseed, and starch 



ISTo. 1.. 

 No. 2.. 

 No. 1.. 

 No. 2.. 

 No. 1.. 



Dry 

 matter. 



Per cent. 

 64.18 

 64.07 

 63.44 

 64.67 

 67.28 



Organic 



sub- 

 stance. 



Per cent. 

 67.49 

 67.44 

 66. 53 

 67.76 

 70. 27 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Per cent. 

 Ti. 15 

 71.47 

 71.58 

 72.02 

 69.19 



Per cent. 

 76. 85 

 81.46 



87.78 

 86.45 



78.08 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Per cent. 

 62.67 



. 62. 13 

 62.10 

 65.66 



Nitro- 

 geu-free 

 extract. 



Per cent. 

 65.50 

 64.79 

 58.77 

 59.81 

 72.39 



Aeh. 



Per cent. 

 26.15 

 24.60 

 25.10 

 25. 63 

 26.55 



The conclusion is reached that the addition of starch to the ration 

 diminished the digestibility of protein and fat, while the addition of fat 

 did not affect the digestibility and absorption of protein and fat in these 

 experiments, but diminished the digestibility of nitrogen-free extract. 



The average amount of nitrogen consumed i)er day and excreted in 

 the urine and feces and gain in nitrogen are shown in the following 

 table : 



Average daily nitrogen balance in experiments with sheep. 



The conclusion was reached that when isodyuamic quantities of starch 

 and fat were added to a ration the starch was a better protector of 

 protein than fat. 



