316 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 181. 



The hay was the same as fed in the former trial; the gluten was a new 

 lot, but did not vary in composition much from the previous sample used. 



Unfortunately, Sheep IV. and VI. were not used in testing the digesti- 

 bility of the hay, and the coefficients represent the average obtained by 

 using Sheep VII., VIII., IX., X. and XI. It is evident in this trial that 

 the gluten did improve the digestibility of the hay somewhat, particularly 

 the fiber and extract matter. 



Experiments by numerous investigators ^ have shown that when a 

 ration containing considerable starch, and having a nutritive ratio of 

 1 :12 or more, is fed to ruminants more or less of the starch is found in the 

 feces, and if to this ration a protein concentrate is added the starch dis- 

 appears, and the digestion coefficients, not only of the extract matter 

 but also of the fiber, are improved. In our own case the addition of a 

 small amount of a very rich protein food to hay improved the digestibility 

 of the latter, but not in as marked a way as was expected. 



Summary of Coefficients of Corn Bran. 



The corn bran represents the hull or skin of the kernel, together with 

 pieces of broken germ and more or less of the starchy portion which it 

 is not possible to separate by mechanical means. It is often found in 

 the markets of Massachusetts, and has been offered at a very reasonable 

 price. In dry matter it contained 1 .08 per cent, ash, 6.87 per cent, protein, 

 13.86 per cent, fiber, 76.33 per cent, extract matter and 1.86 per cent. 

 fat. While low in ash and protein, its fiber content is not excessive, and 

 it is quite rich in extract matter. 



The hay-gluten meal-starch combination served as the basal ration. 

 For some reason Sheep I., as indicated by the digestion coefficients, ap- 

 peared to have utilized the bran quite fully. The results secured with 

 the other sheep were as uniform as was to be expected, although Sheeji 

 II. and V. apparently made less use of the protein, while the latter sheej) 

 gave a high coefficient for the fiber. 



1 See brief r6sum6 in Die Erniihrung d. landw. Nutzthiere, by Kellner, sixth ed., pp. 53, 54. 



