672 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



chopped wheat straw, prepared feed. The average digestibility of the feeds as 

 determined by these experiments is shown in the following table : 



Digestihility of distillery-waste mixed feeds &2/ sheep. 



Kind of feed. 



Hay alone 



Hay and distillery waste, turf meal, and charcoal 



Hay and distillery waste, wheat straw 



Distillery waste, turf meal, charcoal 



Distillery waste, wheat straw 



Organic 

 matter. 



Per cent. 

 55.7 

 50.4 

 65.0 

 45.4 

 73.2 



Protein. 



Per cent. 

 54.5 



68.2 

 74.8 

 73.8 

 83.8 



Ether 

 extract. 



Per cent. 

 14.3 

 13.2 

 41.3 

 12.5 

 63.7 



Nitrogen- 

 free ex- 

 tract. 



Per cent. 

 64.0 

 57.0 

 69.1 

 47.5 

 74.5 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Per cent. 

 41.6 

 29.1 

 51.8 

 15.7 

 60.6 



The addition of turf meal and charcoal to the feed mixture apparently lowered 

 its total digestibility, viz: Organic matter —5.9 per cent, protein —3.8, ether 

 extract —0.4, nitrogen-free extract — 9.9, and crude fiber +7.7. The use of 

 turf meal as a filler in feed mixtures is thus condemned, while the advantages 

 of the use of chopped wheat straw were made evident. Experiments by Pfeiffer 

 are cited to show that while the value of chopped straw on the basis of its 

 starch value in 100 kg. of dry matter is 2.01 marks, that of turf is ~6 marks, 

 or a difference of 8.01 marks. These results also correspond with those of Goy, 

 in which it was found that the feeding of increasing amounts of sphagnum turf 

 lowered the feeding value of its accompanying feeds. 



The feeding of distillery waste materially increased the digestibility of the 

 other materials in the mixture, thus making the apparent total digestible value 

 of the distillery waste as follows : Organic matter 114.8 per cent, protein 91.2, 

 ether extract 102.6, and crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract 148 per cent. 



Feeding and care of breeding ewes, I. B. Johnson {W. Va. Farm Bui., 

 1 (1913), No. 2, pp. 16, figs. 11). — This is a general discussion treating of the 

 various breeds and their adaptability to West Virginia, selecting the farm flock, 

 shelter and feeds for breeeding sheep, management of the ewe and lamb, and 

 sheep ailments. 



Uncle Sam's Alaskan reindeer farm, H. M. Tjernagel {Breeder's Qaz., 

 64 (WIS), No. 25, pp. 1196, 1262, figs. 2).— During the period from 1892-1902, 

 1,280 reindeer were imported from Siberia, and in June, 1911, the statistics 

 showed that there were 36,629 animals in Alaska distributed among 46 herds 

 and belonging to 460 Eskimo owners. These reindeer are distributed among 

 the natives by a system of apprenticeship, the native becoming absolute owner 

 after an apprenticeship of 4 years. 



The summer feeds consist of grass, weeds, foliage, and fresh shoots, and in 

 winter of moss. The capacity for reindeer production in Alaska is said to be 

 10.000,000 head. The number of reindeer is increasing and the prospects for 

 shipment of carcasses to the United States are good. The dressed weight of a 

 3-year-old steer is approximately 120 to 150 lbs. Reindeers are used as beasts 

 of burden, the hide for clothing, and the does for milking purposes. 



Meat production in swamps, P. B. Popenoe (Jour. Heredity, 5 (1914), No. 1, 

 pp. S4-37, pi. 1, fig. l).—ln this article the adaptability of the Pigmy hippo- 

 potamus (Hippo pot a^nus liheriensis) to southern swamp and marsh conditions 

 is discussed. It is thought that these animals would readily adapt themselves 

 to domestication and to the regions of the Temperate Zone. The weight of an 

 adult male 10 years old is given as 420 lbs., that of a female 3 years old as 

 176 lbs. 



Metabolism of matter and transformation of energy by fasting swine, 

 F. Tangl (Kis6rlet. Kozlem., 16 (1913), No. 4, pp. 482-501, figs. .^).— Experi- 



