50 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



varied from 22 to 36 per cent, of protein. It has 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 effect 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 w^ere made during the winter of 1 SOS- 

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

 in the eleventh report of the Massachusetts State Experiment 

 Station for IS 93. The full data will be pulilished at another 

 time. By digestion coefficients is meant the percentages of 

 protein, fat, 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 

 coeflicient is 7S, 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 Iffuc grass, 

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



Ileadow Fescue. — This was grown on an experimental 

 plot, on land in an average state of fertility. It w^as 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 descril)ed on pages 44-50. 

 The digestibility of the fibre varied to such an extent with 

 the different sheep that no digestion coefficient 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. 



