62 PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



matter, which are not yet clearly understood in many cases. New 

 oats thus readily cause digestive disorders, such as colic, when fed 

 to horses, and it cannot be supposed that the difficulty arises merely 

 from the fact that such oats contain, say 10 per cent more moisture 

 than old oats. In all probability the enzymes present in the oats, 

 of which three different ones have been identified, cause certain 

 changes in the composition of the dry matter during storage; 

 although not measurable by the ordinary methods adopted in feed 

 analyses, these changes are still of great importance, and transform 

 the oats from an undesirable feed to the best-relished and most 

 effective available horse feed. 



Changes in the chemical composition also occur in the storage 

 of hay, potatoes, and root crops, like sugar beets, mangels, etc. 

 These are caused by the respiration of the plant cells and result in 

 losses of valuable feed components, especially of soluble carbo- 

 hydrates. As a, rule, these changes do not affect the palatability of 

 the feeds, but they do decrease their general nutritive value. 



QUESTIONS 



1. Name the various factors that influence the quality and yields of crops, 



and state their relative importance. 



2. At what stage of growth does Indian corn contain relatively most 



protein; fat; carbohydrates? 



3. Give the approximate increase in dry matter and carhohydrates in 



Indian corn between tasseling and maturity. 



4. State the changes that occur in the composition of alfalfa from buds 



forming to full bloom. 



5. When does (a) Indian corn, (6) alfalfa yield the largest amounts of 



dry matter and digestible matter per acre? 



6. State the losses that are likely to occur in making alfalfa hay. 



7. Give the losses that are likely to occur in curing Indian corn fodder; 



also the losses in the siloing process. 



