DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 161 



latter. Pastures, however, yield a very nutritious 

 fodder ; it has been found in ioo kilos dry matter, 

 from the grass of good pastures, that io-6 kilos of 

 digestible protein were present, and the starch value 

 of the fodder was equivalent to 60 kilos. These are 

 figures which approach those got from many grains. 



Meadow grass at the time when it is usually fed in 

 a green state is generally somewhat more developed, 

 and therefore is poorer in protein and richer in 

 crude fibre and nitrogen- free extract substances than 

 pasture grass. 



Meadow hay shows the greatest differences in 

 composition of any natural fodder. On the one 

 hand, where the grass is cut late and the weather 

 is unfavourable, a hay may be got which in nutritive 

 value is below that of good straw. On the other 

 hand, a fertile, low-lying meadow may yield a hay, 

 particularly if the grass is cut early, which equals 

 pasture grass in feeding value. 



The best hay is got from sunny, moderately 

 moist mountain and alpine meadows, for there the 

 plants are short and close together and mingled with 

 aromatic herbs. Such hay is distinguished not so 

 much by the large amount of protein it contains, 

 as by its tenderness, aroma, and exceptional 

 palatableness, etc. The hay from damp forest 

 meadows or sour soils has the opposite properties, 

 for it is composed, for the most part, of coarse, 

 tasteless grasses. Irrigation meadows yield a hay 



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