The fodder cellulose used in this investigation was prepared from wheat straw by the factory process described in the preceding communication. It was dried and milled, so that the resultant material was light and fluffy in character, with the fibres well frayed. This was considered to be important, since the physical state of the cellulose might exert a considerable influence on the ability of the intestinal bacteria to bring about its fermentation and breakdown.

It was shown in the preceding paper that the fodder cellulose, on the basis of dry matter, contains 79·8% of crude fibre, of 85·1% digestibility, and 69·2% of ‘total digestible nutrients’. The present feeding trial has demonstrated that the figure for ‘total digestible nutrients’ obtained from the results of the pig digestion trial is a true measure of the productive value of the fodder cellulose for growth and fattening in bacon pigs, provided that the product is fed in a finely divided condition and in intimate admixture with the meal forming the rest of the ration.