144 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



6. The heating of straw with soda lye under 

 pressure. 



This process has for its object the solution of 

 part of the incrusting material, which decreases the 

 digestibility (p. 14). For the treatment of 200 Ibs. 

 of straw it is advised to take 40 gals, of water and 

 4-8 Ibs. of caustic soda, and heat the whole in a 

 boiler under a pressure of 60-80 Ibs. to square inch 

 for six hours. On cooling, the material can be fed 

 without further treatment to cattle or sheep, both 

 of which eat it readily. When the mixture has 

 been heated for a sufficiently long time under pres- 

 sure it loses its alkaline properties, for so much acid 

 is formed from the straw that the soda lye is neu- 

 tralised. 



Ammonia has also been tried in place of the soda 

 lye, for it would have the advantage of being re- 

 coverable by distillation. The organic matter of 

 oat straw which had been treated by this process 

 with soda lye showed a digestibility coefficient of 

 56-60-5, whereas in the original straw it was only 



42%. - 



The above process, which is patented, is still only 

 in the experimental stage, so it remains to be seen 

 if it will be possible to use it in actual practice. 



7. The heating of fodder with dilute hydrochloric 

 acid and neutralisation of the acid with soda 

 diminishes the digestibility, particularly the protein, 

 and as the process is costly it has no advantages. 



