308 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 181. 



Five distinct lots of hay were used in these experiments. The hay was 

 cut when in bloom from an old mowing, and was composed largely of 

 Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis) and sweet vernal grass {Anthoxan- 

 thum odoratum) "with an admixture of more or less clover. The results, 

 on the whole, are reasonably uniform, although one notes occasional 

 variations, particularly in the fiber and also in the protein, due evidently 

 to the individuality and perhaps to particular condition of the sheep. 



The last two lots were evidently of somewhat better quality, or per- 

 haps cut a little earlier than the first two, for they showed a somewhat 

 superior digestibility. All five lots were more fully digested than is 

 timothy hay. Note that the fiber in the hay has a digestibility slightly 

 above the extract matter. This is characteristic of many coarse feeds. 



In many cases it was thought wise to use a basal ration composed of 

 English hay and gluten feed in order to secure a combination better 

 balanced as regards protein and carbohydrates than is hay. Gluten feed 

 was selected to be used with the hay because it contained a moderate 

 amount of protein and is usually quite fully digested. In Series XIX. a 

 combination of 650 grams of hay and 125 grams of gluten feed was used, 

 and in the other cases 550 grams of hay and 150 grams of gluten 

 feed. 



