438 Digestibility of Palm Kernel Cake, etc. 



Digestibility of Palm Keenel Cake II. 

 {Period II.) 



Passing now to the records of Period II in which palm kernel 

 cake II was fed along with the basal ration, these are summarised in 

 Table IV, which indicates also how by deducting the contribution of 

 the basal ration to the faeces as ascertained in Period I, the digestibility 

 of the added palm kernel cake is arrived at. 



The concordance between the results given by the individual sheep 

 for Period II is not quite so good as for Period I but may still be regarded 

 as reasonably good for work of this character, especially in view of the 

 fact that what is being measured is the relatively small difference 

 between the two rations. 



Sheep 2 again gives indications of slightly higher digestive powers 

 than Sheep 1, but the difference is barely 4 per cent, of the organic 

 matter digested. 



In the case of Sheep 2 no definite conclusion as to the digestibility 

 of the oil of the palm kernel cake can be drawn since the total weight 

 of "ether extract" voided in Period II was actually less than that of 

 Period I. The explanation of the apparent anomaly lies, as already 

 pointed out, in the presence in the faeces of ether-soluble products of 

 metabolic origin. It is quite evident from the records of both sheep 

 that the palm kernel oil has contributed little or nothing to the " ether 

 extract" of the faeces, and for all practical purposes it may be taken as 

 entirely digestible. 



Digestibility of Undecorticated Cottonseed Cake. 

 {Period III.) 



Table V summarises the results obtained in Period III and the de- 

 duction therefrom of the digestion-coefl&cients of the cottonseed cake 

 used to supplement the basal ration in this period. Except for the 

 difference in the nature of the cake the ration was identical with that 

 consumed in Period II. 



The concordance between the two sets of results is again very good, 

 with the exception of the crude fibre. Such divergence as is here shown 

 with regard to the latter is unfortunately very common in digestioc 



