282 FOODS AND FEEDING. XIII. 



and the formation of amides from proteids. In drying, though 

 the vitality of the plant is destroyed, care is taken not to kill 

 the diastase, which is required in the subsequent processes of 

 brewing. If, through accident, malt becomes damaged, it is 

 sometimes used whole for feeding purposes. In any case the 

 dried shoots of the barley have to be removed from the malt 

 and constitute " malt coombs." These are rich in nitrogen and 

 mineral matter, and are sometimes used as manure ; more 

 generally they are employed, after being soaked in water, as a 

 small ingredient in the food of pigs or cattle. 



Brewers' grains. These consist of the residue left after 

 " mashing" the malt, whereby the greater portion of its carbo- 

 hydrates are converted into sugar by the diastase and removed 

 in the wort. They are largely employed locally as food for 

 dairy cows and have the reputation of greatly increasing the 

 quantity, while diminishing the quality, of the milk flow. As 

 the wet grains are very liable to undergo fermentation and pu- 

 trefaction, they are not desirable as food for milk-cows, unless 

 the greatest cleanliness and care be taken in supplying them. 

 Otherwise, there appears to be little objection to their use. 



Dried grains. Grains direct from the brewery contain too 

 much water and are too liable to change to permit of their 

 being used except in the immediate neighbourhood. In order 

 to render them more portable they are sometimes dried and 

 then furnish a valuable food. 



4. From Oats. As a rule, oats are employed, either whole or 

 crushed, as food, mainly for horses, though dairy cows are 

 sometimes fed with oats in Denmark. New oats are not suited 

 to working horses, though what change they undergo on keep- 

 ing is not known. 



The bye-products in the manufacture of oatmeal are com- 

 paratively worthless, the husk or hull being mainly " crude 

 fibre." 



5. From Rice. 



Hice meal is really rice bran and comprises the outer layer of 

 the grain, together with a portion of the germ. It is rich in 

 nitrogenous matter, fat, and ash constituents. 



