DIGESTION EXPERIMENTS WITH SHEEP. 



J. M. Bartlett. 



Several digestion experiments with sheep have been made since 

 the last work of this nature was published in the Station Report 

 for 1898*, and the results are presented in the following pages. 

 The larger part of the work was done in 1899, but a few of the 

 experiments were made in 1898 and the early part of 1900. 

 The chief object of the experiments was to determine the nutri- 

 tive value of the several fodders and feeds used in connection 

 with feeding experiments and growing forage crops. 



The method followed was practically the same as has been 

 used heretofore at the Station, namely : Each experiment cov- 

 ered a period of twelve clays, the first seven being devoted to 

 preliminary feeding, and the last five to the experiment proper 

 during which time the pouches were attached to the sheep and 

 all the excrement collected, dried, weighed, and sampled for 

 analysis. The rations were uniform and weighed throughout 

 the twelve days. The coarse fodders were finely chopped, thor- 

 oughly mixed to make them uniform, and a small sample was 

 taken out each time the sheep were fed to make a composite 

 sample for analysis. In most of the experiments three or four 

 sheep were employed, but in a few cases only two were used. 

 Seven different sheep were used in all. The four used in 1899, 

 not being very satisfactory, were replaced by other strong young 

 wethers in January, 1900. 



MATERIALS FED IN THE EXPERIMENTS. 



Clover hay: Made largely of alsike clover cut early in July 

 when nearly all the plants were in bloom. 



* Digestion experiments with sheep have been conducted at this station since 

 1885, and the results are given in the Reports]for 1886, 1837, 18SS, 1S89, 1890, 1891, 1893, 

 1894, 1896, 1897 and 1898. The Report for 1891 contains a description of the digestion 

 room, stalls, harness, etc., used in the experiments. 



