DURABILITY OF FEEDING-STUFFS 119 



4. Fodder which has been attacked by moulds 

 or bacteria can also take on poisonous properties 

 and is equally dangerous for all sorts of domestic 

 animals. These moulds, it is well known, are able 

 to make poisons from otherwise innocuous con- 

 stituents of the food. Under what conditions of 

 temperature and moisture and in which stage of 

 growth this takes place has not yet been investi- 

 gated. In any case diseases of the digestive organs 

 and disturbances of the nervous system, as well as 

 abortion and death, have been noticed to follow 

 the feeding of damaged food. The instances are 

 sufficiently numerous to warn those who have to 

 feed damaged food to be very careful in the amount 

 given. 



Yeasts have a different action to moulds, they are 

 sometimes found in the by-products from breweries 

 and distilleries, and also in moist molasses feeds, and 

 they cause the formation of alcohol. Food contain- 

 ing alcohol can give rise to very grave symptoms in 

 domestic animals, sometimes resulting in injury to 

 the heart. After thorough boiling or steaming such 

 waste products can be fed without danger, whereas 

 in the crude state they cause fermentation in the 

 stomach, accompanied by distension and purging. 



5. Frozen fodder is not of itself incapable of use, 

 but when fed in large quantities, particularly if 

 after fasting, a condition of catarrh of the digestive 

 organs can result. The danger of frozen food- 



