THE FOODS FED TO BEASTS 187 



seem to be any advantage in boiling starch, the digestibilities 

 appearing about the same in boiled and unboiled starches. 

 The starch is converted during the process of digestion into 

 glucose, and this passes through the liver, where it may be 

 temporarily deposited as glycogen. Starch is particularly 

 liable to bacterial decomposition in the intestines, probably 

 due to the fact that its digestion is somewhat slow. Starch 

 may, therefore, very easily suffer considerable loss. 



Pectins, Mucilage, etc. This group of carbohydrates 

 for the most part resembles starch, but sometimes contains 

 a proportion of pentosans. The general feeding value of the 

 carbohydrates is the same as that of starch. Under digestive 

 conditions these change into glucose, though some pentose is 

 also formed. 



The Fibrous Materials in Foods. The portion 

 of the food material which is not soluble in ether, dilute 

 sulphuric acid, and dilute potash is considered the indigestible 

 fibre. This material is composed largely of cellulose, 

 together with lignin, and other materials. The ordinary 

 analytical processes rather resemble an attempt to give a 

 rough imitation of digestion than any effort to obtain a 

 definite chemical subdivision. The common method of 

 analysis will give very valuable figures representing the 

 indigestible material, and is quite a fair approximation of 

 the actual digestive process of the animal. Up to a certain 

 point the ruminants require fibre in their food, as their 

 digestive processes are adjusted to foods of this type, and 

 if fibrous materials are withheld, the digestion is interfered 

 with. Within limitations, therefore, fibre possesses a real 

 value, but it is not common to consider this fact, because 

 the fibrous foodstuffs are relatively cheap, and, therefore, 

 the tendency is to feed rather more fibre than is absolutely 

 necessary, but this consideration would not apply to a 

 town cowkeeper, who has to purchase everything in the way 

 of food, as it does to a farmer who grows his own hay. In 

 small quantities, therefore, one must regard fibre as being 

 useful. In large quantities it is not merely useless but 

 highly objectionable. 



