Digestion Experiments With Wethers. 9 



on the most intelligent and economic basis, and they can only 

 be answered by the results of investigation chemical analysis, 

 digestion experiments, and feeding tests. 



It has been the practice of many of the farmers and 

 ranchmen throughout the arid regions to flood the meadows 

 during the irrigating season to such an extent that the grasses 

 have been for the most part drowned out and the hays which 

 are put up are composed principally of the rushes and sedges. 

 Continuous flooding is thought to produce a yield of forage 

 more cheaply than does irrigating in such a manner that the 

 true grasses are not drowned out. The question has arisen, does 

 it pay? Are not the grasses more nutritious than the rushes 

 and sedges? If so, is the difference great enough to make it 

 pay from an economic standpoint considering the tonnage of 

 hay obtained? 



COMPOSITION OF FORAGE PLANTS THEIR FOOD 



VALUE. 



The analyses of our forage plants show them to be rich 

 in nutritive constituents, but the chemical composition alone is 

 not enough to determine the actual food value. Two plants 

 may have practically the same composition, but vary widely in 

 value for feeding purposes. It is generally known that not 

 all of a feed eaten by an animal is digested, nor is it desirable 

 that it should be. The percentage of digestibility and absorp- 

 tion varies for each food and for each constituent of a food. 



PROCESS OF DIGESTION. 



As soon as a food is taken into the mouth, digestion be- 

 gins and the process goes on until a part leaves the body as 

 feces. The digestive juices which are secreted bring into solu- 

 tion or emulsion with the aid of certain organized ferments, 

 different constituents of the food which in turn are absorbed 

 by the tissues. It is only such parts of the food as are ren- 

 dered soluble or brought into a state of emulsion during the 

 course through the alimentary canal that can be utilized by the 



