The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-16

The last column In the above table.
headed fuel value" indicates the heat
and energy power OF the food. 1t will
be remembered that one of the primary
functions of the food is to produce heat
for the body and energy for work The
value of food for this purpose is meas
ured In heat units or Galleries" and
is calculated from the nutrients digested
Thus the fuel value of one pound of
digestible fat is estimated TO he 40
calories, and of one pound of digestihIe
protein or carbohydrates about 1850 calor-
les. The total fuel value of a feeding
stuff is found by using these factors
The meaning of the figures In the above
table is that in 100 pounds of green corn
fodder containing an average amount OF
dry matter COT pounds) there are con-
tanned approximately 1.i0 pounds of diges-
tible protein materials containing nitro
gem, l2.0S pounds of digestible carbohyd-
rates Starch. sugar. fibre. etc., and 0s7
pounds of digestible fat; and that these
materials when burned In the body will
yield 26,07s calories OF heat. furnishing
energy for work and maintaining the
temperature of the body.
Digestibiiity of Feeding StufYs.
The analyses give the total amounts
Of nutrients found in different feeding
stuffs. But only. portion of these
amounts is of direct use TO the animal,
J.. O., only that d.geSted. A part
OF the food is dissolved and otherwise
altered by the juices of the mouth, stom-
ach and intestines, absorbed from the
alEnenrary canal. and In the form of
chyle passes into the blood and finally
serves to nourish and sustain the body.
This portion is said to be dssested and
assmflated. and from IL alone the animal
is noair4shed. The other portion. the part
not daseSted, passes on through the body
and is excreted as manure
As the rates OF digestfhiIlty are not
constant for diffeIerrt foods, and as only
the digestible portion is OF any nutrfsEve
use TO the animal 81 IS essential to know in
the case OF each feeding stuff what part
or its protein, fat and carbohydrates (the
total quantity OF which is shown by
ana3ysisl is actually digested by the ami
mai. This IS determined by digestion ex-
per-meuls with animals. and TO secure
approximately accurate figures the trials
are repeated with a large number OF AMI
mails and under various conditions. Tho
figures obtained represent the percent
ages OF the nutrients digested and are
called dtgested coeffictente.
In the case OF wheat straw for instance
on an average of 234 per cent of the nro-
TEN which 1t contains 35.6 per cent of
the fat. 500 per cent of the fiber and ss7
per cent. OF the nifrogen-free extract is
sitlon shows wheat straw 10 average "a
per cent. OF protein, or "a pounds Of pro-
TEN in 100 pounds OF straw. AS only g a
per cent. Of this is digestible 100 pounds
Of straw would contain only 0S pound Of
digestible protein. The remaining as
pounds of protein are volded and do not
AID I'm nourishing the animal The
amounts Of digestihle fat and carhohv-
drates (nber and nitrogen-free extracf)
are calculated in similar way The d.
gestihility OF such coarse folders as
straw. coarse hay. etc. is relatively low.
The digestihility, Ike the comnositioo
varies for the same kind Of feeding STUFF
grown under different conditions ana fed
10 different animals
Diayestible Nutrients I'm Different Feed
ing stuff.
To simplify matters for the farmer. cal
culAttons have been made OF the amounts
Of dgestihie protein. fat and carbohv-
irates contained in 100 pounds each az a
large number OF more commonly used
feeding siuffs. As has been fully OK
planned above, they are derived from
averages OF composition and OF aigeztf-
bsiity. both Of which are subject to CON
variation. In calculating them