I2 3 



that no special proof of it need be brought forward here. The 

 amount digested varies, according to the quality of the fod- 

 der and other circumstances, from 25 per cent to as high as 

 70 per cent of the total quantity. ' 



u The ruminants, in particular, have the power of digest- 

 ing large amounts of crude fibre, a power due, doubtless to 

 the great extent of their alimentary canal and the length of 

 time during which the food remains in it. They are hence 

 especially adapted to the consumption of coarse fodder, such 

 as hay and straw, and can extract from it considerable quan- 

 tities of nutrients, while the horse stands considerably below 

 them in this respect, and the hog seems, like the carnivorous 

 animals and man, to be able to digest only young and tender 

 fibre, such as is found in roots and in young and juicy green 

 fodder." Analyses show that corn contains from 2 to 3 per 

 cent of crude fibre. 



In comparing the pounds of grain and the pounds of hay 

 required to produce a pound of gain, with the lots getting 

 whole speltz and ground speltz, it will be noticed there is 

 quite a difference, not only in the quantity of feed consumed 

 but in the gain made by lot. It was impossible to get the 

 lot fed on ground speltz to eat as much grain daily as did 

 the lot receiving the whole grain, which indicates that the 

 dividing of the natural speltz grain into two feeds, by grinding, 

 is a detriment rather than a benefit. The palatability of the 

 feed is decreased. This was found to be the case in feeding 

 ground speltz to sheep (Bulletin No. 80 of this Station). 



As to the value of grinding grain for fattening cattle, the 

 following is taken from Smith's Profitable Stock Feeding: 

 "It undoubtedly saves some feed, though this saving is not 

 ordinarily great enough to pay for the grinding. At the 

 Kansas Station 8 per cent was saved, which would be con- 

 sidered a good showing, yet this saving would mean but 4 ^ 

 pounds of corn to the bushel with corn high in price, per- 

 haps enough to pay the grinding bill, but not the labor. In 

 the case of sore mouths, or when a quick finish is sought, or 

 with cholera too prevalent to make the keeping of pigs for 



