280 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The principal conclusions which were drawn follow: 



Apparently owing to the characteristic hard-wood stems, the total dry matter of 

 soy-bean fodder seemed slightly less digestible than that of other legumes such as 

 clover, Canada field peas, and cowpeas. Apple pomace was found to be as digestible 

 as the better grades of corn silage. English hay was fairly digestible, and no great 

 variations were noted due to individual peculiarities, though on an average, young 

 sheep did not digest the material as thoroughly as old sheep. 



In general the author considers that Bibby's dairy cake was only moderately 

 well digested, and possesses a nutritive value similar to standard wheat middlings. 

 Considerable difficulty was experienced in digesting the crude fiber, probably owing 

 to the fact that it was derived largely from cotton-seed hulls. The sheep ate dried 

 molasses-beet-pulp readily and digested it without trouble, and the author believes 

 that this material has a feeding value about 10 per cent less than corn meal. 



Judging from the experimental data, the author considers that the protein of blood 

 meal is quite thoroughly utilized by farm animals. Soy-bean meal was on an aver- 

 age quite thoroughly digested, especially the protein and fat, its two most impor- 

 tant constituents. As compared with the average results for corn meal, hominy 

 feed, or chop gave somewhat lower coefficients of digestibility. "It has been 

 assumed hitherto that hominy was as digestible as corn meal; but in view of the 

 results obtained, this opinion is no longer tenable." 



As regards the results obtained with Eureka corn fodder, the author considers 

 them very favorable as compared with those obtained by other experimenters with 

 other varieties of corn at a similar stage of growth. In general the dry fodder was 

 not as well digested as the green material. " This may be accounted for partly on 

 the ground that the sheep received the green fodder in September, after having been 

 at pasture all summer, while the dried material was fed in March, after they had 

 been in similar experiments for 6 months; and partly because previous experi- 

 ments have demonstrated that in case of very coarse fodders sheep digest the green 

 substance a little more thoroughly than the cured." 



Effects of feeding- cotton-seed meal upon the health of animals, E. Fulmer 

 ( Washington Sta. Bui. 67, pp. 28-42). — This contains a summary of the data recorded 

 by experiment station investigators on the effects of cotton-seed meal on the health of 

 animals, and deductions drawn from facts obtained in connection with the author's 

 investigations. 



Of the 23 animals used in the tests with cotton seed at the Washington Station, only 

 one died. This pig weighed 131 lbs., and had consumed 47 lbs. of cotton-seed meal, a 

 quantity equal to 35.9 lbs. per 100 lbs. body weight. The feeding periods ranged 

 from 14 to 98 days in duration, and in no other case were functional disorders noted. 

 The amounts of cotton-seed meal eaten by the different pigs ranged from 7.7 to 154 lbs. 



"The cool weather during the feeding period, the nature of the grain ration 

 (chopped barley, oats, or wheat), the abundance of succulent food fed, and the 

 opportunities for exercise, all doubtless had an influence upon the successful issue of 

 these experiments, regarded from the standpoint of the stockman. 



Cotton food products in hog feeding-, R. R. Dixwiddie (Arkansas Sta. Bui. 85, 

 pp. 1-26). — Continuing the studies of cotton-seed products for pigs (E. S. R. , 15, p. 68), 

 11 tests were made in which cotton-seed meal or chopped cotton seed were fed with 

 different combinations of grain, cotton-hull bran, and cowpea hay; 2 in which crude 

 cotton-seed oil was fed with bran and corn, and 1 for purposes of comparison in which 

 the ration was composed of bran and shorts. The amounts of cotton seed eaten and 

 the gains in weight are recorded, as well as the weight of the liver and kidneys and 

 the melting point of the leaf lard and the body lard. The author's summary 

 follows: 



"The toxicity or otherwise of cotton-seed meal for hogs, just as for cattle, is a ques- 

 tion of dosage. Small amounts may be fed indefinitely, larger quantities for a limited 



