I/O 



MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



I9OO. 



disturbing- element. If tins be true we should expect to find the 

 greatest difference between the determined and caluculated heats 

 of combustion in those materials which are especially rich in 

 fiber, such as the coarse fodders and feces of herbivorous ani- 

 mals. The following results of feeding experiments with sheep 

 serve to illustrate this. 



Fodders and Feces. 



Heats of Conbustion. 



4130 Oat bay 



4131 Sheep "feces from oat hay 



4-160 Clover silage " 



4161 Sheep feces from clover silage 



4-202 Oat and pea silage 



4204 Sheep feces from oat and pea silage 



Calories, 



30.74 

 33.65 

 33.43 

 32.16 

 31.12 

 32. 8S 



209 

 ■29(1 

 184 

 379 

 .209 



4.163 



Calories. 



3.719 

 3.6>2 

 3.63S 

 3.805 

 3.984 

 3.669 



Calories. 



.490 

 .608 

 .546 

 .574 

 .225 

 .494 



The results given in the last column are not, however, pro- 

 portional to the amount of crude fiber present, but are much 

 greater in the feces. This suggested a study of the fiber itself. 

 A quantity was prepared from both fodders and feces and burned 

 in the usual manner. The results, reduced to a water- and ash- 

 free basis are sfiven here. 



HEATS OF CONBUSTION OF CRUDE FIBER FROM FODDERS AND THEIR 

 FECES CORRESPONDING. 



AZ, 



Source of crude fiber. 



Heats of 

 conbustion. 



- 

 = c 



Heats of 

 Source of crude fiber. i conbustion. 



4130 





4.405 

 4.610 

 4.667 

 4.561 



4131 



4161 



42i 4 





4160 





Feces from clover sil. 

 age 



Feces from oat and 





4202 



Oat and pea silage ... 



5.215 







4.820 







4.899 









The crude fiber from the feces had, in these three cases, an 

 average determined fuel value over 7 per cent higher than that 

 of the fiber from the corresponding fodders. In other words, 

 the digestible crude fiber had a lower fuel value than that remain- 

 ing in the feces, and consequently, lower than that of the mix- 

 ture of carbohydrates included in that term as found in the 

 original fodders. 



