The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-02-06

and intestines. Tue volume and weight of
the contents of the stomach and IntestiBes
vary of course according to whether the
animal has received a bulky or concentrated
food; and the whole composition varies
from the average according to the kind,
age and condition of the animal.
The constituents of the body may be
divided into two broad classes, viz, water
and dry substances. The latter may be
further subdivided into the general
classes, organic and inorganic substances.
By organic is meant that which is COM
bustible and hich when subjected to fire
leaves the inorganic behind as ashes. Thu
organic bodies consist of heterogeneous
and non heterogeneous substances. the nitro
genous including the albumenoids, gela-
tinous substances and horny matter. The
a~Ibumeuoids are classified into three
groups, alb1men represented by the
white of the egg, fbrin, aud %casein,
the basis Of cheese. OF the non-nitrogen
Gus substances the fat is the most import,
ant, though others, as sugar, etc, exist IN
the digestive fluids, intestines and blood.
The total quantity of the inorganic portion
or ash of the animal body is 10 round num-
bers for cattle As per cent. OF live weight,
2.e-3.5 per cent. and for swine 1873 per
| cent. In lean animals the fat approaches
the minimum and in fat animals the max
imum. P~hosphorie acid and lime are
present in about equal proportions and
make up together about four-ffths of the
total quantity of ash; the other filth con-
| sists of potash, soda, magnesia, chlorine,
sulphuric acid, earbonic acid and very
small quantities of silica.
1t is observed, therefore, that the animal
body, though complex in its structure, is
10 a general way composed of heterogeneous
substances and mineral matter. Since
these substances are constantly destroyed
in the body in the performance of the vital
functions, it is necessary that a supply OF
| similar substances should be furnished
from Without the animal, in order to re-
place not only those lost by the action OF
| the vital functions, but also to build up
the body and increase the working force oil
the animal.
THIS brings US to our second point, the
materials that can be used as food. The
reason why any or all of the materials
| commonly used for food are 50 used, lies
in the fact that whatever their source or
mechanical condition, they contain those
| CLASSES of compounds which are essential
for animal life and consequently the pro
| duction of milk, butter, beet or work
These compounds are fats, albnminoids,
carbohy drates and ash, and it has beer
shown that these are essentially these
which compose the animal body. 1t has
| also been proven by experiments that the
fats and carbohydrates change to form the
fat and the albuminoids the flesh.
Since then the animal body consists to a
large extent of the above compounds, de
| irving its albuminoids from the digested al
buminoids of tie food, its fat from the foui
| classes of nutrients, and the mineral mat
ter of It's bones aud various soft tissues
from the constituents of the ash, it is
| readily seen that any material furnishing
| them in a form capable of digestion by the
animal can be called a food and be elasse q
| ac eordipg to its composition either as a
fodder or a feed.
Since these classes of compounds rarely
exist separately and since they exist in suel
varying proportions in the different mat
erals used as food, it is a difficult matter
to classify folders and feeds according to
their food values, and very often the sell
ing price of a fod1er or food does not in
dictate truly that value. Further, since
animals require for their FORMAL growth
and full flow of milk or maximum amount
of work, certain definite quantities and
proportions Of these several compounds in
their daily ration, a commercial valuation
of the a~lbuminoids, fat and carbohydrates
in any food would not represents the food
value to the animal unless it existed in
Just that proportion indicated as best. This
folders value must therefore be deter
mined by the amount present capable OF
digestion, and the relation of the various
classes of compounds to eacl other.
Most fodder plants and commercial feeds
have been subjected to analysis and the
amount of the different classes Of com
pounds accurately determined.
1t has slso been proven by experiment
that these compounds, as they occur in
ordinary folders are not in a suitable eoa
dition to become at once part Of the body.
They must be separated from useless sub
stances aud converted into soluble forms
before they can be taken up into the cir
c~ulation and SO serve to nourish the body
they must be digested. The ease of digestion
depends upon various circumstances Di-
gestion is both a chemical and a physica!