184 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XIV, No. 4 
Table XV .—Digestible nutrients in ioo pounds of dry matter of timothy, millet, and 
Sudan-gross hay 
Constituent. 
Timothy 
hay. 
Millet hay. 
Sudan- 
grass hay. 
Protein. 
Pounds. 
3-4 
48.4 
1.4 
Pounds. 
53-6 
2.1 
Pounds. 
3.6 
Carbohydrates. 
58 * 3 
1.0 
Fat. 
Total. 
S 4 -o 
64. 2 
64. 2 
The data in Table XV show that Sudan-grass hay provides consider¬ 
ably more nutrients than timothy hay, and, though it contains rather less 
digestible protein than millet hay, it appears to furnish about the same 
amount of total nutrients. These comparisons are made on the dry 
matter basis so as to eliminate variations due to changes in the moisture 
contents of the feeds. 
The net energy value of the Sudan-grass hay has been calculated 
according to Armsby’s method (r), while the digestible true protein is 
taken as 75 per cent of the digestible crude protein (Table XVI). These 
figures show that Sudan-grass hay, though deficient in protein, provides 
more net energy per 100 pounds of dry matter than hay from timothy or 
millet. 
Table XVI .—Digestible true protein and net energy values per ioo pounds of dry matter 
in timothy, millet, and Sudan-grass hay 
Item. 
Timothy 
hay. 
Millet 
hay. 
Sudan 
grass hay. 
Digestible true protein. 
Net energy value. 
.pounds.. 
2-5 
48.67 
4 6 
54.80 
2.7 
64. 42 
SUMMARY 
(1) The dry matter of Sudan grass changes slightly in composition 
from the time of heading until the crop is ripe. 
(2) The content of fat and protein increases in the early stages of 
ripening and decreases later while the changes in the nitrogen-free extract 
and ash content are in the opposite direction. 
(3) Either as a green feed or as hay, Sudan grass is very palatable. 
(4) Sudan-grass hay has a comparatively high apparent digestibility. 
(5) Sudan-grass hay supplies energy to cattle much more efficiently 
than it does protein. 
