180 



PHYSIOLOGY OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



water, and therefore readil}' decomposes in summer in a few hours, 

 and then is a very dangerous fodder. The only method of permanent 

 preserving is by drying, and this necessitates a complicated and trouble- 

 some process. In cool weather the residue may be preserved for one 

 or two weeks under fresh water. Fresh beer residue is an admirable 

 fattening food for both cattle and hogs and for milk cows, though when 

 sour it affects both the quantity and quality of the milk. When fresh this 

 food is not so well suited for sheep and horses as when dried ; in the 

 latter condition, from the high percentage of nitrogenous constituents, 

 it is comparable to the cereals. 



The residue from distilleries, the so-called distillery mash or swill, 

 forms a valuable article of fodder, but one whose composition is subject to 

 the greatest variations, depending upon the character and mode of treat- 

 ment of the substance manufactured. All such residues are, in their natu- 

 ral condition, very rich in water; and since in distillation only the starch 

 and sugar serve for the production of the spirits, all the other nutritive 

 substances remain, with slight alteration, in the residue ; so that the solids 

 of the latter are relatively very rich in nitrogen. Most of these residues 

 in their fresh condition are readil} 7 devoured by the domestic animals, 

 and their nutritive effect is increased by administering them warm and 

 mixed with less nutritive substances," such as dry fodders rich in cellu- 

 lose, which are less readily taken by cattle. On the other hand, their great 

 richness in water is a disadvantage on account of the increased demand 

 for nutritive substances so occasioned. The high percentage of water, 

 soluble proteids, and other unstable substances in distillery residue 

 leads to their ready decomposition, or souring, in which condition they 

 are, of course, not suited for fodder, on account of the disturbances of 

 digestion and alterations of milk which they produce; the objection to 

 this class of foods is largely due to the danger of using a spoiled article. 

 So also residues from which the spirit has not been entirely removed are 

 likewise hurtful when given as food. The most common of these resi- 

 dues are those obtained from the distillation of potatoes, corn, rye, 

 beets, and malt. 



Potato Residue. The residue from the distillation of potatoes will 

 vary greatly in the percentage of nutritive constituents according to 

 the more or less complete extraction of the spirit, 

 illustrates this : 



The following table 



