Thomson on the Food of Animals. 39 
Of a work containing so many minute details, and exhibiting 
the results obtained chiefly in a tabular form, we cannot attempt 
a complete analysis in this place, but shall endeavour to point out 
some of the most important conclusions to which these experi- 
ments have led; and first, as to the comparative merits of barley 
and malt diet in feeding cattle, the primary object which these 
investigations had in view. It may be premised, that all the ex- 
periments were made with two cows of the Ayrshire breed, be- 
tween five and six years of age. 
It appears that barley and malt, when not crushed, although 
steeped in hot water, are imperfectly digested by cows. It was 
observed that some of the grains of barley were ejected from the 
intestines 24.28, and even seventy-two hours after being swal- 
lowed in an entire state, so that they must have been detained in 
some portion of the alimentary canal, during that lengthened 
period, without having undergone any appearance of digestion. 
The indigestible nature of seed in general is well known, and 
has usually been regarded as a natural provision for the distribu- 
tion of vegetables by means of animals. It is in the rind or outer 
coating of the seed that this power of resistance usually resides, 
and when that is broken the gastric juices readily act upon the 
internal substance. In every case, therefore, in which any kind 
of grain is given to cattle, care should be taken to break the outer 
covering. 
The first experiments detailed by Dr. Thomson, in his chapter 
on barley and malt diet, demonstrates the truth of the following 
position : — 
A cow, if fed for two days on an insufficient quantity of food, as 
indicated by loss of weight and diminution of milk, will require 
at least double that time to reach the condition from which it had 
deteriorated ; and the reason of this is obvious, because partial 
starvation had caused it to lose a portion of the solid part of the 
body, which requires a longer time to re-establish than to pull 
down. Ihis rule is applicable to the dietary of man as well as 
the inferior animals. An increase of labour should always be ac- 
companied by an increase of food, both at sea and in prison; a 
short walk to one confined in a solitary cell, calls for some aug- 
mentation of food. A slight increase of temperature, or the irrita- 
ting influence of insects, will effectually diminish the milk of a 
cow, and indicates the propriety of increasing the amount of the 
fodder. — p. 82. 
In the experiment detailed with the entire malt and barley, the 
amount of grass was limited, but afterwards the hay was supplied 
at libitum. Previous to the experiment both the cows had been 
gaining weight on a diet of grass, consisting almost entirely of 
ryegrass; but under the diet here indicated the falling off was 
