66 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



of protein. Omnivorous animals, such as rats, 

 died from protein starvation when a complete food 

 in which protein had been replaced by asparagine 

 was given. It was also immaterial whether aspara- 

 gine was added to the food or not ; death occurred 

 in the same time in both cases. With ruminants 

 it was different, for the addition of asparagine to a 

 food rich in carbohydrates but poor in protein 

 effected a considerable saving in the latter; a 

 similar effect was noticed also when ammonium 

 acetate was added to the food. In experiments 

 with lambs which received the same basal ration 

 the daily increase of protein was as follows — 



Without any addition . . . 4-1 gr. 



Addition of asparagine . . .15-6 gr. 



,, ammonium acetate . 15-7 gr. 



Ruminants then behave differently to the car- 

 nivora and herbivora as regards the non-protein 

 of the food. Fundamental differences in the way 

 in which the nutrients are treated in the body 

 cells are in any case not to be expected. The 

 various species, however, do differ in the way in 

 which the work of the alimentary canal is performed, 

 and it is here that an explanation must be sought. 

 Most probably the differences are caused by the 

 bacteria, for ammonia and asparagine are known 

 to be excellent foods for them. It may be that 



