88 



THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



and fall out when threshed. Wheat grains are only partially inclosed 

 by the glumes and are otherwise naked, as in rye. The rachis of the 

 glumed varieties of wheat is brittle at maturity and is easily broken 

 up into its segments, one for each spikelet. The rachis of a head of bar- 

 ley is tough and does not break. 



Chemical. — The glumed varieties of barley are the only ones of eco- 

 nomic importance in feeding animals. The glumes constitute from 12 

 to 16 per cent, average 14 per cent, of the weight of the threshed grain. 

 The crude fiber content is therefore lower, and the digestibility of the 

 total organic matter is higher than that of oats. Starchy, protein-poor 

 and thin hulled varieties of barley are preferred. The crude protein 

 contents amount to 12 per cent, digestible protein 8.8 per cent, crude 



Fig. 41. Two-rowed barley. Fig. 42. Four-rowed barley 



Fig. 43. Six-rowed barley. 



fat 2.4 per cent, nitrogen-free extract 64 per cent, water 14 per cent and 

 mineral matter 2.5 per cent, the latter containing 0.775 per cent phos- 

 phoric acid and 0.012 (winter barley) to 0.059 per cent lime; starch 

 value, 68 per cent. Numerous feeding experiments have shown that 

 eosin, used in denaturizing feed barley, is generally harmless. It has 

 also been demonstrated that eosin under these conditions exercises no 

 unfavorable effect upon the character of the meat products, fat, etc. 

 Cases are recorded, however, which show that serious illness and even 

 fatal results may follow the ingestion of eosin barley and that the quality 

 of the meat products may suffer. 



