366 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



entirely, but this is seldom the case. In fact, as previously explained, the 

 theory of cattle feeding depends largely upon the subject of excretion, and the 

 influence of a ration upon an animal may be thus determined to a nicety. 

 Great care, should be taken 'to collect every drop of urine, as numerous im- 

 portant experiments demonstrate that all the nitrogen that has been separated 

 from the albuminoids during the process of assimilation is found in this ex- 

 cretion. In such experiments, there is always a certain loss of nitrogen that 

 is difficult to account for; it is very small, and is, in most cases, supposed to 

 be due to faulty methods of analysis. Consequently every effort should be 

 made to absorb the urine by a suitable amount of straw. What has just been 

 said applies not only to cases where the excrement is to be analyzed, but also 

 when it is to be used as a fertilizer. 



We may conclude that a rich fodder offers a double advantage to the farmer. 

 On the one hand there is a gain in flesh, and on the other the quality of 

 manure obtained is better. An interesting calculation might be made show- 

 ing that it is not always cheaper to purchase manure than fodder. It has 

 time and again been demonstrated that it is possible to purchase feeding stuffs 

 and combine them in a suitable ration, so as to feed for maintenance, and not 

 obtain an increase in weight but yet obtain manure as cheap as if purchased 

 direct from a neighboring farm. Consequently, no well organized farm should 

 be without a certain number of cattle, whatever be the advantage of a chemical 

 fertilizer; for there is always a factor, small it is true, but yet felt after a term, 

 that chemical fertilizers do not furnish. When it is a question of beet pulp 

 feeding, this is especially true; the elements that are deficient maybe supplied 

 at a nominal cost. 



]STitrates. Very little attention need be given to nitrates, as they are 

 considered to be without nutritive value. 



Nitrogen-free extract. Contains starch, sugar, gums, pentosane, 

 etc., after deducting from the total dry matter the ether free extract, crude 

 fibre and ash. If to the nitrogen-free extract we add the crude fibre, we obtain 

 what is generally termed carbohydrates. There is a great difference in the 

 nitrogen-free extract of different fodders. For example, in rye flour it is 70 

 per cent., while in certain corn roughage it is only 12 per cent. Experiments 

 appear to prove that all the nitrogen-free extract, that may be actually 

 digested, has about the composition of starch; consequently the non-nitrogenous 

 substances, with the exception of fat, may be considered as carbohydrates. A 

 portion of the nitrogen-free extract is not digested. An important point to be 

 noticed is that the amount of crude fibre digested is nearly equal to the amount 

 of nitrogen-free extract that is not assimilated. This principle must not be 

 accepted to the letter; but it enables one to form an excellent idea of the 

 digestibility of a fodder. Experiments appear to show that the undigested 

 nitrogen-free extract has more carbon in its composition than carbohydrates, 

 and is said to have the same as lignin. 



Non-nitrogenous. The most important of the non-nitrogenous 

 nutrients of which fodders consist are the carbohydrates, fat and cellulose. 



