1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 31. 25 



of home-grown corn is exbansted or limited, beet residues may 

 be substituted for fattening stock and as one-third of the grain 

 ration for dairy purposes. Milk producers who purchase all of 

 their grain will find the dried pulp a satisfactory component 

 (one-half) of the daily ration. 



4. Beet Leaves. 



Every autumn the station is in receipt of inquiries concern- 

 ing the value of beet leaves for feeding purposes. In order 

 to answer these inquiries the following information is sub- 

 mitted : — 



Composition and Digestibility. 

 The leaves have the following average composition : ^ — 



Per Cent. 



Water, 89.30 



Ash, 1.80 



Protein, 2.30 



Fiber, 1.50 



Extract matter, .......... 4.70 



Fat, 40 



From the above analysis it is evident that the leaves contain 

 a great deal of water and on the basis of dry matter are rela- 

 tively rich in protein and ash and poor in fiber. The leaves 

 contain 20 to 3Y.7 per cent, of their nitrogen in the form of 

 aniids. The ash contains a large amount of oxalic acid (3.5 

 per cent, of the dry matter), and in the extract matter varying 

 amounts of dextrose and lievulose have been recognized. 



According to F. Lehmann,- sheep digest 61 per cent, of the 

 crude protein, 52 per cent, of the fat and 75 per cent, of the 

 extract matter. 



How to feed the Leaves. 

 Beet leaves are best suited for dairy cows and for fattening 

 cows and steers. They are less suited for young stock, swine, 

 horses and sheep. Fed in too liberal quantities they have a 

 decidedly laxative effect, and likewise cause indigestion. This 

 is due to the oxalic acid and inorganic ash constituents. The 

 same bacteria which in the paunch of the bovine produces lactic 



» E. Pott, Handbuch der Thicr. Ernahrung, etc. Zweite Auflage, II. Bd. S. 201. 

 2 See E. Pott, already cited, p. 202. 



