1913. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



143 



meal, wc have tlio following aiiioiuita of digestible matter in 100 

 poiuuls : — ■ 



One hmidred poiind.s of corn contain.s, therefore, some IG 

 pounds, or 27 j^er cent., more digestible material than a like 

 amount of oats. 



Kellner jilaeed the net energy value of corn at 81.5, and of 

 oats at 50.7, or as 100 is to 73.2 (starch equivalents). One 

 would, therefore, assume that for the ordinary pnrposes of nu- 

 trition oats were substantially one-fourth less valuable than corn. 

 This does not take into account the favorable mechanical or 

 special energy effects of oats. The nutritive inferiority of oats 

 is due to the large percentage of indigestible hull. The oat 

 kernel free from hull is easily and hiohlv digestible. 



Feeding Experiments with Oats for ]\[ilk Production. 

 Tlie object of the r.rpciiments was to compare a definite 

 amount of oats with a like amount of corn meal (a) upon the 

 general condition and weight of each animal and (h) upon the 

 yield of milk, milk solids and fat. 



The plan of the experiments consisted in taking four cows, 

 all of which were fresh in late summer, and dividing them into 

 two groups of two each. In the first half of the trial two of the 

 cows received the so-called oat ration at the same time the other 

 two cows were receiving the corn meal ration. In the second 

 half of the trial the rations were reversed. The experiment was 

 carried out three times. 



