DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 173 



ordinary red clover hay ; the chaff from lentils 

 and clover is more valuable, whilst the husks of 

 peas, beans, and vetches approach ordinary meadow 

 hay in value. Rape, mustard, buckwheat, and 

 linseed give a chaff which is richer in fibre and more 

 indigestible than cereal chaff. The husks of many 

 foreign fruits — earth nuts, coffee beans, etc. — are 

 of no value as food, as is seen on p. 117. Caution 

 must always be exercised in feeding chaff, for there 

 is hardly another feeding-stuff in which so much 

 that is dangerous can collect. The rubbish in the 

 chaff ought to be sifted out, and if weed seeds, 

 spores, etc. are there the chaff ought to be scalded, 

 or steamed. 



(3) Roots and tubers. 



Roots and tubers are all characterised by the 

 amount of easily digestible carbohydrates — starch, 

 sugar, pectin substances — which they contain. A 

 considerable portion of the crude protein (30-70%) 

 is not in the form of proteins, but is present as 

 amides. 



The crude fibre is, without exception, very low, 

 as is also the fat. Amongst the mineral substances 

 potash and soda predominate, whilst lime and 

 phosphoric acid are only present in small quantities. 

 On account of the high percentage of water which 

 roots and tubers contain they are liable to cause 

 a weakening of the digestive organs unless some 



