118 



EXPEEIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



Summary of Digestion Coefficients (Per Cent.). 



Period III. 



The results with the three sheep show wide variations, 

 especially in case of the total dry matter, ash and extract 

 matter, and it is evident that difficulty was experienced in 

 digesting the sprouts. Similar results were experienced in a 

 previous trial,'* two sheep digesting but 60 per cent, of the 

 dry matter and a third 78 per cent. The results secured 

 with the two former sheep were discarded. The high fiber 

 coefficients in the present experiment indicate that the addi- 

 tion of the nitrogenous sprouts increased the digestibility of 

 the hay fiber. 



The results of German experiments likewise show es- 

 pecially wide variations in the digestibility of the organic 

 matter, fiber and extract matter. The latter experiments do 

 not show as high an average digestibility for fiber as do our 

 own trials. It seems probable that these differences may 

 be due largely to the character of the sprouts employed. 

 Bohmer ® states that light-colored sprouts show a higher de- 

 gree of digestibility than dark-brown sprouts derived from 

 slightly scorched malt. Kellner^ has shown that, while the 

 organic matter of the sprouts has a reasonably high digest- 

 ibility because of the presence of considerable quantities of 

 amids, cane sugar and organic acids, a definite amount does 



1 The f aices from Sheep II. were somewhat soft for a few days during the collection, 

 ■which was an evidence of indigestion. 



2 Kellner's Die Erniihrung der Landw. Nutzthiere, page 570. 



8 Organic matter. 8 Kraftfuttermittel, page 206. 



4 See sixteenth report of this station, page 77. ^ Loco citato, pages 160, 357. 



