8 BULLETIN 525, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Summary. 
Subject. 
Digestibility of entire ration. 
Esti- 
mated di- 
gestibility 
of protein 
of bread 
alone. 
Esti- 
mated di- 
Experiment No. 
Protein. 
Fat. 
Carbohy- 
drates. 
Ash. 
gestibility 
of carbo- 
hydrates 
of bread 
alone. 
468 
D.G.G 
H. R. G 
A. J. H 
Per cent. 
43.5 
41.4 
48.8 
67.2 
50.2 
Per cent. 
96.2 
95.5 
93.0 
96.6 
Percent. 
95.5 
93.5 
95.5 
95.8 
Per cent. 
77.0 
77.5 
73.4 
81.5 
Per cent. 
32.9 
30.7 
37.4 
63.9 
Per cent. 
96.2 
469 
93.9 
470 
98.2 
471... 
P. K 
96.6 
Average 
95.3 
95.3 
77.4 
41.2 
96.2 
The total amount of food eaten on the average per subject per 
day was for the experiments with common millet, 1.000 grams, and 
with proso, 1,084 grams, which furnished 49 grams of protein, 123 
grams of fat, 323 grams of carbohydrates in the millet experiments, 
and 45 grams of protein, 140 grams of fat, and 295 grams of carbo- 
hydrates in the proso experiments. Inasmuch as the subjects ate 
of the ration according to individual inclination, the heat of combus- 
tion varied quite materially — from a maximum of 3,080 calories to 
a minimum of 2,140 calories per day, as computed by the factors 
commonly used in the determination of fuel values of foods. 
Notwithstanding the quantity eaten, the amount of protein sup- 
plied by the ration was low, being on an average less than 50 grams 
per day, due to the low protein content of the bread prepared from 
these grains and to its bulky nature. 
The values reported for the digestibility of fat of the entire ration 
more truly represent the digestibility of butter than of the cereal 
fats, since the latter were present in such relatively small quantities. 
The values, 94.4 per cent and 95.3 per cent, for the millet and 
proso rations, respectively, agree with the values for the digesti- 
bility of butter reported in connection with a study of the digesti- 
bility of hard palates of cattle and in a study of the digestibility 
of butter, which were 94.6 per cent 1 and 97 per cent, 2 respectively. 
The breads made from bolted millet and proso meal do not show 
a high digestibility for protein in these experiments, the values being 
35.8 per cent for millet protein and 41.2 per cent for proso protein. 
There was no marked difference in the flavor of the millet and proso 
breads. In India, where they are regarded as important foodstuffs, 
these grains are commonly boiled, and it is possible that thus pre- 
pared they might be more thoroughly digested. 
1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, G (191G), No. 17, p. 647. 
3 U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 310 (1913), p. 21. 
