The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-06-15
TESTING FOOD FOR CATTLE.

Elaborate Series Of Experiments
ia Diet, Similar to Those Re-
Gently Made on Man, Being
Made at the University OF
Pennsylvania.
Yale having conducted a series of
food tests with :: rockies" supplied BY
the United States army and by yolun.
teers from the athletic department. OF
the University, the State College OF
Pennsylyania, at Harrisburg, has be-
gym series of experiments of exactly
she same nature with cattle. me
Fennsylvania experiments are all di.
yected toward the scientific feeding OF
cattle, TO find out exactly what foods
are the best adapted to produce the
best milk, the best flesh and the best
huster. It is not the plan Of the
PeEns7lvania scientists who are con-
ducting the tests TO starye scientihcai-
ly the cattle with which they are
making their experiments, nor to tsy
5he effects Of poisoDs on them. On
The contrary, the sole purpose of the
tests is to find out what foods, or COM
binations OF foods, will produce the
richest results and the cost thereof.
TO make their tests correct they
have invented what they eau resp1r-
aeion calorimeter. It is an apparatus
4hich measures with exactness the
gases given of by COW or an OK,
and the heat generated in the animals
body during the process Of assimila-
taoa. The respiration part Of the ap-
Earatus attends to the gases and the
calorimeter to the temperature. In
this machine for months past a series
of the most interesting and TO agrlcul-
suye the most valuable tests have been
made, and the scientists who have
bsen supervising them are enthusiastic
over the results that have been Sc
cared.
The respiration calorimeter consists
of double walled chamber, about SIX
by ten feet and eight feet high, con-
saining a comfortable stall. The
walls Of the chamber are double, the
ianer one being Of sheet copper. while
sgae outer one is of zinc, with an air
azsace between. The door through
which the animal enters, and the
small opening through which food is
gsven TO the animal close alright,
ahutting OF the interior from the
RoeId outside, except so far as it can
he, seen Through double plate glass
aFirdow.
When an animal is placed in this
hermesically sealed cell ali air is cut
oH from it, save that which is sup
piled by a meter pump. which sends
"a uniform quansity of dry, pure air
as stated intervals. The pump not
oasy sends the air current in, but it
draws sample Of it at stated inter
sass. Another pump draws the air
oG at the same speed that it is pump
ed In, and this exhaust pump draws
samples for analysis at the same in
ssant that the injector does. By COM
paring these samples it is very easy TO
bell exactly what gases and how much
She animal has added to the air and
TO determine the amount OF gasses CIV
n.oG by different foods.
The copper inside box of this cham
ber is surrounded by two wooden
boxes, each box being s inches larger
than the one inside it. When In use
they are kept at exactly the tempera
lure Of the air surrounding the stall,
-aRd thus there is no loss of heat from
The chamber In which the animai is
placed, By a simple adjustment the
AIR is made to leave and elser the
cell at the same temperature, and thus
Shere is no loss on that account. So
All the heat that the animal gives off
remains in the chamber, which is
carefully registered By delicate cleo
Srical thermometers But If the heat
remained in the cell It would result
"a Che place soon becoming unbearably
hot, and SO an arrangement is made to
iEep il at one temperature by means
OF coils Of cold water, which absorbs
ghe beat almost as fast as it is given
nj But the instruments measure the
most minute variations Of heat, and
these facts are classified with the re-
suits of air analysis. Thus the amount
Sg waste and hea5 created by each
land of food can be calculated.
an making test the animal is u.s.
uaily placed In the calorimeter betv zen
4 and O'Clock in the afternoon. The
1sxs few hours are spent in adjusting
5he Instruments. At s O'Clock in the
svsning the test is begun, and usually
lasts for forty eight hours. At the
aud of that time the animal is taken
fror the cell and carefully examined
Dig experts and full report Of its coz.
aition is made to 90 with the gas ard
5enperatura analyses. Then If the
aaimal is intended for beef it is killed
md samples of its flesh, blood and
various organs are put through most
careful series of analyses. II it is
fer the purpose Of improving the milk
or butter supplies these products are
tested and the results tabulated.-
Brooklyn Eagle.
o 90
n.,,. e:, l. o. o.,