FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



tion of adipose tissue than has the coefficient of digestibility. Animals that 

 are stunted or badly fed when young, show the effect of their poorly developed 

 condition by the poor working of their digestive organs. 



What was said respecting the digestibility of a fodder taken as a whole, is 

 not entirely true when the components of which it is composed are considered 

 separately. We have for the following coefficients of digestibility of food 

 components for different animals : 



COEFFICIENTS OF DIGESTIBILITY FOR FODDER COMPONENTS. 



From which data one might draw the following conclusions : Sheep and cows 

 do not utilize the protein as advantageously as oxen and goats; they, however, 

 assimilate better the nitrogen free extract than do the animals last mentioned. 

 The influence of work upon digestion is a very important factor too fre- 

 quently overlooked. Experiments have been made upon horses showing 

 that the coefficient of digestibility was almost entirely independent of work 

 done. In other words, when a horse did " A" foot pounds of work per diern 

 the proportion of organic substances digested in the ration was exactly the 

 same as when the animal did " 2 A " foot pounds during the same interval. 

 What applies to organic substances applies also to protein, cellulose, nitrogen 

 free extract, etc. The amount digested of these remains the same whatever, 

 within reasonable limits, be the work done. Just how far this would apply to 

 oxen, and other farm animals that may be employed for their muscular power 

 we are unable to say. The influence of the composition and kind of ration 

 used upon its digestibility is made very evident when we consider that the 

 function of digestion depends upon the extent to which the gastric juice acts 

 upon the molecules of each element of which the ration is composed. 



This coefficient must necessarily vary, not only with each plant, but also 

 with the same plant, depending upon its age, method of harvesting and keep- 

 ing. What has been said in regard to plants, refers more particularly to 

 coarse fodders; the by-fodders used and their composition have also an im- 

 portant influence not to be overlooked. If the ration varies in weight from 

 day to day. the per cent, of digestibility of each of its components remains 

 constant. W'olff's experiments at Hohenheim and elsewhere demonstrated 

 beyond cavil that this is almost mathematically correct. The animals ex- 

 perimented with were fed on hay. 



