SILAGE. 249 



The changes in composition which fodder undergoes during 

 fermentation in a silo lead to a loss of carbohydrates, partly 

 as gaseous products and partly by conversion into insoluble 

 " fibre." Except by mechanical loss, say by juices running 

 from the silo, the mineral matter undergoes no change ; the 

 albuminoids are slightly lessened, probably by conversion into 

 amides, and even into ammonium salts. 



The composition of clover and rye grass, when cut and after 

 being in the silo for 90 days, is given by Wilson and Harper" 

 as follows : 



Clover (mean of 8 analyses). Rye grass. 



Fresh. Silage. Fresh. Silage. 



Water ... ... ... 79-5 80-1 47-1 74-3 



Solids ... ... ... 20-5 19-9 52-9 25-7 



The solids dried at 100 



Albuminoids ... ... 16-5 17'4 8-5 7-1 



Non-albuminoid NX 6-25 ... 3-9 4-5 3-6 2-9 



Carbohydrates (by difference) 46-3 37*5 48'8 45'7 



Fibre ... ... ... 23-8 30-2 30'5 36-8 



Ash ... ... ... 9-5 10-5 8-6 7-5 



% non-albd. N of total N. 19-0 20'6 30-1 28'9 



They calculate the following : 



Albumi- Xou-alb. Cai-bo- ,-,., , , , 



noids. NX6-25 hydrates. Flbm Ash ' lotaL 



lOOIb. dry matter of) 



clover when put -16*5 3-9 46'3 23-8 9-5 100-0 



into silo contain j 

 Ditto, when taken out 15-7 4-0 33-9 27'4 9'5 90*5 



Experiments were also made on the digestibility of the albu- 

 minoids of the fresh fodder and the silage, using " pepsin " and 

 " pancreatine." The following table gives their results : 



Fresh fodder. Silage. 



In 100 parts of dry matter. In 100 parts of dry matter. 



Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind. 1S91, 115. 



