54 ELEMENTARY TREATISE ON STOCK FEEDS AND FEEDING 



outer covering of the grain the more benefit is derived by grind- 

 ing. 



Imperfect mastication is greater with the horse or mule 

 than with ruminating animals and therefore grinding is more 

 necessary on certain foods when fed to the horse or .mule. The 

 digestibility of corn, wheat and oats is increased by grinding 

 when fed to horses or mules. Grain when fed to calves should 

 be ground, and grinding improves the digestibility of grain for 

 swine. It is more necessary to grind the grain fed to the horse 

 or mule when at work than when idle, because a working horse 

 or mule has less time to properly masticate food. Hay, fodders, 

 etc. are more completely consumed when ground. The cob 

 can be utilized to advantage when the whole ear (corn and cob) 

 is finely ground. Experiments have shown that corn and cob 

 meal of this character is of about equal feeding value to pure 

 corn meal. The bulkiness of corn and cob meal permits of 

 thorough action of the digestive fluids. 



Species of Animal. With oxen, cows, sheep and goats the di- 

 gestibility of forage is about the same. Sheep digest clover hay 

 better than oxen, and oxen digest hay better than sheep. Horses 

 and mules digest less hay than the ruminating animals, per- 

 haps because of poorer mastication. The fat, carbohydrates 

 and particularly the crude fiber, are digested in smaller amounts 

 by horses and mules than ruminants. Experiments show that 

 20-25 per cent, less nitrogen free extract of hay is digested by 

 the horse than, by ruminants. The digestibility of grain is 

 about the same with the horse and ruminants. 



Individuality and Age. Defective teeth, differences in age, 

 and weakened digestion sometimes cause differences in digesti- 

 bility with animals of the same species. Some claim that animals 

 of the same species may show differences in digestive power 

 ranging from 2 to 4 per cent. Experiments conducted on sheep 

 and steers have shown variations in digestibility. Sometimes 

 one animal gave the highest digestibility and at other times 

 another. Young and old animals of the same species seem to 

 digest equal amounts of food. 



