266 



MAKtJAL OF CATTLTU-FEEDIN'G. 



of preparing fodder for animals, such as steaming, ensi- 

 lage, etc., may be accompanied by practical advantages, 

 all the experiments hitherto executed show that the diges- 

 tibillty is not sensibly increased thereby. 



Thus, in the experiments executed in 1862, at the 

 DaJnne Experiment Station, by Hellriegel t% Lucanus,"^ 

 it was found that the digestibility of rye-straw by sheep 

 was not increased either by fermenting or cooking it. 

 Experiments in Proskan, by Funke, gave the same re- 

 sults regarding the digestibility of the total dry matter 

 and tlie cellulose of a mixed ration fed to milk cows. 



Indeed, recent experiments at Poppelsdorf f showed a 

 decreased digestibility of hay as a result of steaming. A 

 rather coarse hay was fed to oxen, first dry, then steamed, 

 and finally moistened with as much water as it took up 

 when steamed. The following were the results : 





Digestibility. 





Total 



organic 



matter. 



Per cent. 



58 

 56 

 64 



Protem 

 Per oeut. 



Fat. 

 Per ( ent. 



Oracle fibre. 

 Par cent. 



Nitrogen- 

 free 

 extract. 

 l^er cf>nt. 



Bry 



Sieamed 



Moistened , 



46 

 80 



39 

 41 



38 



59 



58 

 54 



60 

 59 



57 



Steaming and moistening seem to have affected the di- 

 gestibility of the protein especially. It is possible that the 

 large decrease observed may have been cansed by an ex- 

 traction of soltible nitrogenous matters, though care seems 



* Landw. Versuclis-Stationen, VII., 243, 324, 387, and 467. 

 f Homberger : Landw. Jahrbucher, VIII., 9d3. 



