CHOICE OF FOE AGE CROPS 



59 



ANALYSES OF TIMOTHY HAY 



52. Digestible nutrients. To determine the digestible 

 nutrients of a feed, it is fed to an animal under test con- 

 ditions and the voided matter in the feces is then analyzed. 

 The difference is the digestible portion, which is usually 

 expressed as a percentage of the whole, and is called 

 the coefficient of digestibility. The coefficient of digestibil- 

 ity varies considerably. It is affected more or less 



1. By the kind of animal employed, especially the horse 

 as compared to ruminants ; 



2. By the individuality of the animal ; 



3. By the stage of development of the plant when cut, 

 young plants being more digestible; 



4. By the age of the feed, fresh being better than old ; 



5. By fine cutting of the feed in some cases ; 



6. Sometimes by other feeds in the ration ; 

 Digestibility is not appreciably affected by drying, 



moistening or cooking. 



In * thus comparing the different feeds it is assumed 

 that the digestible portions of the protein, carbohydrates; 



