1903.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 101 



'Influence of Drying and Curing on Digestibility, 

 Jordan ^ .summarized the results of six experiments made 

 to throw light on this point, and states that in only two 

 cases (clover and corn fodder) was there any decrease in 

 digestibility due to drying. Experiments were made at this 

 station with wheat and vetch and barnyard millet, and the 

 results are found in the above tables. It will be seen that 

 in case of the wheat and sand vetch no important difference 

 was noted as a result of the curing process, while in both 

 experiments drying noticeably decreased the digestibility 

 of barnyard millet. Generally speaking, the mere with- 

 drawal of the water is not supposed to affect digestibility, 

 and this is likel}^ to be especially true with young and tender 

 plants and with the finer grasses. In the case of plants 

 with coarse, tough stems, the reverse is likely to be true. 

 The hardening of the woody stems in the curing process and 

 the less perfect mastication resulting, as well as possible 

 chemical and physiological changes, are all factors which 

 may cause lessened digestibility. 



Digestion experiments enable the investigator to form a 

 reasonably correct opinion concerning the nutritive and eco- 

 nomic value of the different coarse and concentrated feeds. 

 The results of these experiments are presented from time to 

 time in popular bulletins treating of feed and feeding. 



^ Bulletin No. 77, U. S. Department of Agriculture: The Digestibility of 

 American Feeding Stuffs. 



