176 



PHYSIOLOGY OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



The following table gives the average composition of different members 

 of this group: 



Esparcet (Onobrychis saliva} is one of the most digestible and valu- 

 able of the different forms of clover, and may be regarded as a type of 

 this group. Mowed during the blossoming, it contains in the green state : 



According to Wolff, its digestibility in the ruminants is as follows : 



Proteids. 

 72.5 per cent. 



Esparcet-hay contains 



Fats. 

 66.7 per cent. 



Solids, . . 



Nitrogenous matters, 



Fats,. . . " . 



Non -nitrogenous extractive matters, 



Cellulose, . 



Ash,. 



Non-nitrogenous 

 Extractive Matters. 



78.3 per cent. 



85.1 per cent. 

 13.3 

 2.5 

 34.5 



29.0 

 5.8 



All forms of fodder undergo in time considerable deterioration in 

 the amounts of their nutritive constituents, especially if preserved in 

 localities where the}' are accessible to the air, moisture, light, and warmth. 

 Fermentative processes are started up by the presence of various forms 

 of the lower organisms and occasion a reduction in both the non-nitrogen- 

 ous and proteid constituents of fodders. Thus, prairie hay, when fresh, 

 has a nitrogenous percentage of 1.81 per cent., while, if kept for two 

 years, it falls to 1.68. So long a time as this is, however, not necessary 

 for the evidence of considerable loss of nutritive principles. Thus, Wolff 

 has found the constituents of second-crop hay to vary as follows : 



Proteids, .... . 

 Fats,. . ... ,. 



Cellulose, 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matters, 



In December. 



14.36 



. 4.01 



26.44 



XNon-niirogeiious exiraciive mailers, . 40 

 Inorganic constituents, .... 9 



45.71 



,48 



In April. 



14.34 



4.24 



27.18 



44.80 



9.44 



