THE DIGESTIBILITY OF FEEDINGSTUFFS 



73 



Ration 



Hay, 1 part ; corn, 1 part . 

 Hay, 1 part ; corn, 3 parts 

 Hay, 1 part ; corn, 5 parts 

 Hay, 1 part ; corn, 4 parts 

 linseed meal, 1 part . . 



Mainte- 

 nance Lot 



69.3 



77.7 

 78.7 



79.6 



One-third 

 Feed Lot 



65.9 

 71.9 



75.8 



76.9 



Two- 

 thirds 

 Feed Lot 



63.8 

 68.8 

 73.6 



75.04 



Full- 

 feed 

 Lot 



62.5 

 64.7 

 69.7 



76.0 



These differences in the digestibiUty of the dry substance 

 were due to differences in the digestibility of the carbohy- 

 drates. The protein and fat were digested equally well by 

 the different lots. 



Also, in experiments with cattle at the Mockern (Ger- 

 many) Experiment Station, in experiments with cattle by 

 Eckles at the Missouri Experiment Station,^ and in experi- 

 ments with sheep by Jordan and Jenter at the New York 

 (Geneva) Experiment Station,^ it was found that the digesti- 

 bility decreased as the amount of the ration was increased. 



Excess of Non-nitrogenous Nutrients. — If the ration 

 contains an excess of carbohydrates in proportion to the 

 amount of protein, the digestibiUty, especially of the pro- 

 tein, will be decreased considerably. Kellner ^ states that 

 this depression is liable to occur in ruminants if the ration 

 contains more than 8 to 10 parts of digestible carbohydrates 

 and fats to each part of digestible protein. In case of pigs, 

 he places the hmit as 12 parts of digestible carbohydrates and 

 fats to each part of digestible protein. If the proportion of 

 carbohydrates and fats is in excess of these figtires, he states 

 that the ration will be less digestil)le. 



1 Research Bui. 4 and 7. 



3 " Scientific Feeding of Animals, 



2 Bui. 141. 

 p. 39. 



