56 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 230 



Average Digestion Coefficients and Net Energy Values 



A little study of the figures in the table shows tliat the two horses digested 

 the whole corn and corn meal in equal amounts and derived about the same 

 net energy from them. One would suppose that corn meal would yield rather 

 more net energy than whole corn because of the energy required for ciiewing 

 tiie latter; but our method of measurement was not sufficiently sharp to detect 

 tiie difference. Although the horses were able to digest 25 per cent of the 

 corn cobs, they did not derive any net energy from them, all the energy 

 being required for the efforts of digestion; hence we may conclude that the 

 cob is without food value for horses. 



Oats were not as well digested as corn, due to tJie presence of about 30 per 

 cent of hulls, which were not digested by the horses in the present trial. 

 Strange to say, the oats furnished fully as nmch net energy as tiie corn, 

 namely 118 therms. This result is not confirmed by the few trials on record, 

 which show 93 therms. A further study of the comparative net energy 

 values of corn and oats for horses is desirable. Oat hulls were digested to 

 about the same extent by horses as were corn cobs, and did not furnish any 

 net energy. They are, therefore, without value as a source of nutrition for 

 horses. The nutritive value of tlie oat for horses is contained in the groat. 



Wheal Bran and Brexcers' Dried Grains. 



These materials are well known to all feeders. The question is often 

 raised as to the value of wheat bran as a horse feed. Brewers' grains, both 

 wet and dried, have been used with apparent success by many feeders of 

 horses. The average chemical composition of the samples tested is stated 

 below. 



Chemical Composition 



