20 



BULLETIN 613, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



is not a by-product with us, but is used in the preparation of our ox- 

 tail soup. We have absolutely no means of estimating the quantities 

 of this fat produced in this country." A second concern reports : "We 

 produce considerable quantities ourselves, some of which we use and 

 some of which we sell. It is more liquid than other beef fats, con- 

 taining less stearin, and for this reason would be better adapted to 

 the manufacture of oleo oil. We sell it as an edible fat, and so far 

 as we know, it is used with other beef fats as a shortening or for 

 other food purposes." 



Even if little of the fat is marketed for food purposes, it is evident 

 that it is not uncommonly so used when one recalls that it is a con- 

 stituent of freshly made and canned ox-tail soup. 



For the purpose of this study a sufficient quantity of ox-tail fat was 

 secured from a concern which did not include the ox-tail fat in 

 the ox-tail soup which it packed. In appearance the fat was a 

 cream white solid when chilled. At ordinary room temperature the 

 fat separated into two layers, about four-fifths being a pale yellow 

 solid and about one-fifth a light yellow oil. The fat possessed no 

 pronounced odor or flavor. An examination x showed it to have the 

 following characteristics : Index of refraction at 40° C, 49.0° ; iodin 

 number, 56.58; and melting point 37.0° to 36.8°. 



Three subjects assisted in the study of the digestibility of ox-tail fat 

 and the data obtained are reported in the tables which follow : 



Data of digestion experiments with ox-tail fat in a simple mixed _ diet. 





Weight 

 of foods. 



Constituents of foods. 



Experiments, subjects, and diet. 



Water. 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Carbohy- 

 drate. 



Ash. 



Experiment No. 704, subject P. K.: 



Grams. 



1,814.0 

 302.0 

 545.0 

 251.0 



Grams. 



824.3 



27.2 



473.6 



Grams. 

 35.9 

 32.0 



4.4 



Grams. 



227.1 



4.5 



1.1 



Grams. 



711.8 



233.5 



63.2 



251.0 



Grams. 

 14.9 





4.8 



Fruit 



2.7 



















2, 912. 

 58.0 



1, 325. 1 



72.3 

 17.8 

 54.5 



232.7 



13.7 



219.0 



1. 259. 5 



21.0 



1,238.5 



22.4 





5.5 







16.9 











Per cent utilized 







75.4 



94.1 



98.3 



75.5 











Experiment No. 705, subject J. C. M.: 



Blancmange containing ox-tail fat 



2, 004. 

 399.0 

 825. 

 148.0 



910.6 

 35.9 

 716.9 



39.7 



42.3 



6.6 



250.9 

 6.0 

 1.7 



786.4 



308.4 



95.7 



148.0 



16.4 

 6.4 



Fruit 



4.1 



















3, 376. 

 86.0 



1,663.4 



88.6 

 26.0 

 62.6 



258.6 



13.0 



245. 6 



1, 338. 5 



38.2 



1, 300. 3 



26.9 





8.8 







18.1 











Per cent utilized 







70.7 



95.0 



97.2 



67.3 





— 



- 





1 Analysis submitted by meat inspection laboratories of Bureau of Animal Industry. 



