204 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I904. 



it is well balanced. It is probable that the protein of the corn 

 meal is really as digestible as that of gluten feed, and this 

 assumption seems to be supported by experiments No. 106-113- 

 120-128 where corn and linseed meals are fed in equal parts, 

 and the coefficients for the protein of the mixed grains are 86.2 

 and 85.3. This higher coefficient cannot be attributed to the 

 greater digestibility of the linseed, for experiment No. 112 on 

 linseed alone gave a coefficient of only 85.7 for the protein. A 

 more nitrogenous or better balanced ration may in part account 

 for the greater digestibility of the dry matter and protein. 



conclusions. 



Of the animals used in these experiments the steers had a 

 greater capacity for digesting coarse fodders low in protein, like 

 timothy hay and corn fodders, than the sheep. 



The more nitrogenous rations were as well and in some cases 

 better digested by the sheep than by the steers, and the addition of 

 nitrogenous grains to the ration appeared to materially increase 

 the sheep's digestive capacity. 



The feeding of grain rich in protein with corn meal apparently 

 increased the digestibility of the ration, particularly that of the 

 protein. 



It is evident from a study of these results and others before 

 published that as great differences in digestion coefficients will 

 occur between sheep, individually, as is likely to occur between 

 sheep and steers. But if sheep are to be used to determine 

 coefficients for bovines, great care should be taken to select 

 strong animals that are good feeders and will eat coarse fodders 

 readily, otherwise results which are too low are likely to be 

 obtained. 



