FEEDS AND FEEDING II35 



Table III. — Percentage composition of the dry lichens;. 



Organic matter 90.18 % 



Drv matter gi.36°'o , 



I Ash I.I 



Crude protein = 0.72 % N 4.50 



Pure protein = 0.72 % N 4.06 



Fats 2.28 



Crude cellulose 41.01 



Nitrogen-free extract 42.39 



The coefl&cients of digestibility were very low. On calculating them 

 according to the total nitrogen, negative values were obtained. The starch 

 value was likewise negative. All these analyses were confirmed by a micro- 

 scopic examination of the excrement. 



The writers conclude that lichens may be administered to sheep and 

 cattle when there is a shortage of forage, but never to pigs or horses. 



IV. — Bone meal. — This substance being at present often recom- 

 mended in Germany as a food for ruminants and pigs, the writers carried 

 out a digestion experiment with 2 sheep. The bone meal was administered 

 to them in the proportion of 200 gr., with the addition of 800 gr. of hay. 

 This ration was readily accepted. 



The excrement was collected 10 and 11 days afterwards respectively. 



The digestibility was very good for the protein, even reckoning the 

 coefiicients according to the total nitrogen. The fat is still more digestible. 



Calculating the content of digestible elements according to the total 

 nitrogen, the following figures are obtained : 



Organic matter 40.6 % 



Crude protein 26.6 



Fat 7.3 



The content of crude protein calculated according to the nitrogen 

 soluble in h^-drochloric pepsin was 31. i % 



On calculating the starch value, by the aid of these figures, no result 

 would be obtained which would allow of estimating the bone meal at its true 

 value, as the result would relate to ^/g of fat and ^/g of protein. The pro- 

 tein is contained in it however chiefly in the form of collagen, a substance 

 which is converted into glue during the process of digestion. The glue, in 

 turn, is not a complete nitrogenous substance, as it lacks tryptophane, ty- 

 rosine and cystin. It is likewise unknown to what extent it is utilised by 

 animals. Therefore as long as the value of glue and collagen as foods is 

 unknown, it would be wrong to attribute an over-great food value to the 

 organic matter of bone meal. 



V. — Blood meal as a food. — The blood meal food corresponded in 

 composition to that indicated by Kellner. It was given to 2 sheep in the 

 quantity of 150 gr. along with 1200 gr. of hay. 



The excrement was collected for 11 days. 



The content of digestible elements in the blood meal according to the 

 experiments, is shown by Table IV. 



