No. « DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 49* 



They tire more quickly of some food factors than others. Swine, 

 for instance, will consume corn for a longer period with a relish 

 than, barley or rye, and horses will consume oats with avidity for 

 a longer period than any other kind of grain. 



These influences are more noticeable when the feeding is forced, 

 as when animals are ripening for the block. The appetite under 

 such feeding slackens, hence any judicious change of diet that will 

 lead them to consume more food will usually be found helpful. 



INFLUENCES WHICH AFFECT PROFITS. 



Among the many influences which affect the profits that result 

 from feeding, but three will be discussed here, viz: The influence 

 of food values, of cost before the fattening period, and of the price 

 received for the animals when sold. 



The influence of food values is so evident that it is scarcelv neces- 

 sary to discuss it. Other things being equal, the difference in re- 

 turns from feeding corn at 20 cents per bushel and the same at 40 

 cents will be at once apparent. Some seasons the price of foods 

 varies much. One kind of grain may be dear and another kind 

 cheap. All kinds of grain may be relatively dear, while fodders 

 may be cheap. Under such conditions, the aim of course should 

 be to feed the cheaper foods as far as may be judicious in the one 

 instance, and to utilize fodders as far as may be practicable in the 

 other. Sometimes, however, it may be advantageous to feed more 

 or less of the dear food, because of the advantage which results 

 from feeding foods in balance. 



Where the conditions are normal it follows that, as a rule, foods 

 may be more cheaply grown by the farmer than purchased, but it 

 may, notwithstanding, be necessary to purchase more or less of 

 one or more food factors not readily procurable from home sources 

 in sufficient quantities. The grower may thus find it profitable to 

 purchase wheat middlings freely, notwithstanding, that he may be 

 a large grower of corn. It is also generally true that fodders are 

 relatively cheaper than grains, hence the larger the amount of these 

 that may be judiciously fed, the larger will be the profits. In this 

 fact is found the justification for the free use of corn ensilage in 

 feeding live stock and in chaffing and mixing dry fodders with meal, 

 in order to increase the consumption of the former. 



As a rule, a pound of increase made during the finishing period 

 costs more than the food used in making it. To this there are some 

 exceptions, as when meat brings a good price while the foods used 

 in making it are cheap. If, therefore, profit is to be made on home 

 raised animals fattened on the farm, it must come from the two 

 following sources, viz: The growing of the animals on cheap foods 

 up to the time when the fattening begins, and the increase in value 

 en every pound of live weight possessed by the animal at that time 

 resulting from the fattening process. The profit of the feeder who 

 buys the animals which he feeds can only come, of course, from the 

 last named source. 



Suppose, for instance, that a feeder purchases a steer at four 

 cents a pound live weight, feeds him for six months and sells him 

 for five cents a pound. Suppose the weight when purchased was 

 1,200 pounds and when sold 1,500 pounds, the gain being 300 pounds 

 Now, luppoge the- 300 pounds cost $15 to make it, then no profit ha* 



