42 
Bulletin 93. 
These samples differed as much from one another as any two samples 
which we might purchase in the market would be likely to differ, as the 
second was purchased two years subsequent to the first and both would be 
properly classed as prime timothy hay. 
Jordan and Hall gave the average digestion coefficients for timothy hay 
before and in bloom as: Dry Matter, 60.7; Ash 44.2; Fat, 58.4; Protein, 
56.8; Crude Fibre, 58.8; Nitrogen Free Extract, 64.3. For timothy hay past 
bloom: Dry Matter, 53.4; Ash, 30.3; Fat, 51.9; Protein, 45.1; Crude Fibre, 
47.1; Nitrogen Free Extract, 60.4. 
The differences are marked in some instances but the agreement is as 
great as we have any right to expect. 
The native hays are highly esteemed as feed for horses, commanding the 
same price in the market as timothy hay. If there is any choice the native 
hay receives the preference, while both are prefered before alfalfa, especial¬ 
ly for livery and road animals. The results with the sheep are interesting in 
this connection. The fodders were fed alone, there was no mixed ration, but 
the sheep made a gain of 3 pounds each when fed alfalfa, the timothy scarcely 
maintained their weight, one sheep gained y 2 pound, one sheep lost y 2 pound 
and one lost 1 pound. The native hay makes a somewhat better showing 
as a fodder for sheep, two sheep gained y 2 pound each, while the third one 
gained 2 y 2 pounds in five days. 
The result which will appeal to the public as most striking, so far as a 
digestion experiment can be depended upon to indicate the value of a fodder, 
is that obtained with the corn fodder. This fodder was not shredded, but 
simply cut as fine as we could conveniently cut it with a hand cutter, neither 
was it prepared in any manner, being fed dry, and yet the sheep showed a 
gain of 2 pounds, 1 pound and y 2 pound respectively in the five days and the 
dry matter consumed per 100 weight of animal was less than of the other 
fodders. 
The average digestion coefficients found for sorghum is for a fodder held 
until the spring of the year. The question which I had in mind when I un¬ 
dertook this particular experiment was what can our ranchmen in the east¬ 
ern part of the state grow as a fodder to feed their cattle during the severe 
storms of late winter and spring when it is often necessary to tide the ani¬ 
mals over trying periods. Sorghum promises to yield them as much fodder 
under their conditions as any other forage plant. The fodder, if it is used 
at all, must be shocked and kept till late winter or spring. It might have 
greater value if fed in the fall or early winter, but the experiments with it 
gave disappointing results so far as its feeding value was concerned, the 
sheep losing 3, 2.5 and 3 pounds respectively in five days. 
The average digestion coefficients obtained were: Dry Matter, 58.46; 
Ash, 44.61; Fat, 64.87; Protein, 43.06; Crude Fibre, 49.23; Nitrogen Free 
Extract, 61.06. 
There are but few recorded digestion experiments with sorghum fodder. 
An experiment with a goat gave the following: Dry Matter, 59.88; Ash, 
17.64; Fat, 47.14; Protein, 59.46; Crude Fibre, 64.88; Nitrogen Free Extract, 
62.51. 
The salt bush atriplex argentea used by ranchmen in the eastern part 
of the state yields digestion coefficients as follows: Dry Matter, 46.25; Ash, 
71.55; Fat, 52.34; Protein, 66.36; Crude Fibre, 8.29; Nitrogen Free Extract, 
49.16. 
These coefficients, that for crude fibre and consequently that for the dry 
matter excepted, are quite favorable, but as a fodder for sheep it is a failure 
if the weights of the sheep after their 12 days feeding on salt bush can be 
relied upon. The sheep were weighed at the beginning and end of their 
last 5 days feeding on this fodder, when we found that they had lost y 2 , 
2 and 6 pounds respectively in this time. 
This fodder provoked an intense thirst, the animals drinking from 10^ 
to 15 pounds of water a day and voiding an immense amount of very ill- 
smelling urine. 
These same animals drank from 1 y 2 to 4 y 2 pounds of water daily when 
fed on other fodders. 
