104 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



for cattle and swine and usually fed dry to horses. Large quantities 

 are said to cause diarrhea, paresis of the paunch, and abortion in preg- 

 nant animals. 



Malt sprouts attract and absorb moisture readily and are consequently 

 subject to moldiness. Moldy malt sprouts have an injurious effect, cause 

 yellow atrophy of the liver and even death. In the inspection of malt 

 sprouts for quality, stress should be laid on the specific malty odor. The 

 sprouts should be dry, light yellow, not dusty nor infected with fungi 

 (moldy). Adulteration with sand and other mineral matter is easily de- 

 tected by floating the material in water. 



Brewers' grains contain the glumes, fruits and seed husks, most of 

 the protein and fat and all the starch of the malt (barley grains) that 

 has not been converted into sugar. 



Wet brewers' grains contain on an average about 77 per cent of water, 

 3.5 per cent digestible protein, and have a starch value of 13 per cent. 

 They spoil very easily (become sour, moldy, or decompose) which seri- 

 ously affects their wholesomeness and their palatability. To preserve 

 them they are frequently dried or ensilaged (pickled). Dry brewers' 

 grains should have a light gray color and an aromatic odor. Dark color 

 indicates overheating, which impairs digestibility, or it may be due to 

 spoiled material. When stirred up with warm water they should have 

 neither a sour nor a moldy odor. Dry brewers' grains contain 14 per 

 cent digestible protein and have a starch value of 50 per cent. 



The German and Dutch dried brewers' grains are made from pure 

 barley malt. Brewers' grains imported from America usually contain, 

 in addition, corn and rice refuse, while the Swedish product contains a 

 considerable quantity of hulls. They are therefore more strawlike in 

 nature. 



Unspoiled, wet or dry brewers' grains are a palatable and wholesome 

 feeding stuff. Wet brewers' grains are fed principally to milk cows and 

 fattening cattle (20 to 40 pounds) and to swine (25 pounds per 1,000 

 pounds live weight). They are not suitable for sheep nor for horses 

 doing heavy work. Horses do well on dry brewers' grains, however, 5 

 pounds of grains being given with 4 or 5 pounds of oats instead of a 

 full ration of 10 pounds of oats. The dry grains are also good for milk 

 cows and fattening cattle (6 pounds) and for fattening sheep (up to 1 

 pound). They are given dry or slightly moistened, mixed with chaffed 

 feed or root crops. They are not so profitable for swine because the 

 latter do not digest them as completely. The feeding of spoiled grains 

 (moldy, sour, rancid) to horses has frequently been observed to result 

 in serious poisoning, gastric catarrh, nephritis and cystitis. When rich 

 in alcohol they may produce alcohol poisoning. 



Spent hops are also occasionally used as a feeding stuff. When fresh 

 they contain 25 per cent of dry matter. Their digestibility, however, is 

 low on account of the tannic acid that is present. Their nutritive value 

 corresponds to that of grain straw. Hops are wholesome and stimulate 



