50 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



varied from 22 to oG per cent, of protein. It lias not been 

 in the market of late. Hills* fed this material (testing 35 

 per cent, of protein) to milch cows, and secured very satis- 

 factory results. Its efiect on the flavor of milk and butter 

 was not mentioned, and we can assume it was satisfactory. 

 He considered it the cheapest source of protein in Vermont 

 markets at the time. 



D. — DIGESTION EXPERIMENTS WITH SHEEP. 



These experiments were made during the winter of 1898- 

 99. The method employed was the usual one, as described 

 in the eleventh report of the Massachusetts State Experiment 

 Station for 1893. The full data will be published at another 

 time. By digestion coefficients is meant the percentages of 

 protein, fit, etc., that the animal is capable of digesting. 

 Thus, if wheat bran contains 16 per cent, of protein, or 16 

 pounds in 100, and the percentage digestible or digestion 

 coefficient is 78, it means that the animal can digest 78 per 

 cent, of the 16 pounds, or 12.46 pounds. 



Description of Feed Stuffs. 



Hay. — This hay was used in connection with the several 

 concentrated feeds. It was largely Kentucky blue grass, 

 with a small admixture of red clover. It was cut in bloom. 



Meadoio Fescue. — This was grown on an experimental 

 plot, on land in an average state of fertility. It was free 

 from weeds or other grasses. 



Kentucky Blue Grass. — Same conditions as for meadow 

 fescue. 



Tall Oat Grass. — Same conditions as for meadow fescue. 



Distillery Grains. — Fully described on pages 44-50. 

 The digestibility of the fil)re varied to such an extent with 

 the difl"erent sheep that no digestion coeflicient is presented. 

 It seems to be very digestible in the various "X" brands, 

 possibly 75 or more per cent. 



Oat Feed. — This food consisted of the refuse from the 

 oatmeal mills. It was quite an inferior sample of its kind, 



* Vermont Experiment Station report, 1895, p. 222. 



