
FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH SHEEP, 97 
It will be readily seen that the narrow ration (relatively rich in 
protein) was much more thoroughly digested than the wide ration 
(relatively deficient in protein). 
A large number of digestion experiments made in Germany 
indicate that the presence of large quantities of carbohydrates 
(starch) in a ration tends to lower the digestibility of the protein 
and fiber. This experiment points in the same direction. The 
wide ration had a large proportion of corn meal, which supplied 
large amounts of starch, while the narrow ration had but a small 
quantity of corn meal, but was relatively rich in protein. But 
whether these results are actual or only apparent, neither these 
experiments, nor those previously made, decide. 
THE RATIONS EATEN, 
Table 19, which follows, shows the total amount of hay and 
grain fed to each sheep for the whole period, the total nutrients 
and the digestible nutrients and also the averages for each day. 
The averages are given in heavy type so that the total ration for 
each sheep can be readily seen. Nos. 20-24 were fed a small 
quantity of turnips during the latter half of the experiments. 
These did not enter into the digestion experiments and their 
digestibility is estimated from the averages of other experiments. 
Only small quantities were eaten and hence their influence on 
the ration must have been slight. 
The uneaten residues consisted of the coarse parts of the hay, 
together with some grain. ‘The amounts uneaten were small and 
it was thought that no great error could be introduced by assum- 
ing their digestibility to be the same as that of the entire ration. 
Table 20 summarizes the total and digestible nutrients eaten by 
each sheep in the experiments. Wolff’s (German) standard for 
fattening sheep per 75 pounds live weight is also given, and has 
a nutritive ratio of 1:5.5. The average of 11 experiments with 
22 animals, conducted in five experiment stations of the United 
States is also given and has a nutritive ratio of 1:6.1. The fuel 
value of each of the rations of the experiment is less than that 
of the standards. In the experiment the sheep were fed on a 
basis of 75 pounds live weight. It will be noticed that the nar- 
row ration contained a relatively large amount of protein and is 
narrower than either of the standards, and that the wide ration 
contains a relatively small amount of protein and is much wider 
than either of the standards. 
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