.300 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



been made on the increase in weight. The profit comes from the 

 advance of one cent per pound in the value of each of the 1,200 

 pounds of weight possessed by the animal when the feeding began, 

 that is to say, it would be $12, leaving the value of the manure to 

 offset the labor and interest on the investment. 



The close relation, therefore, between buying and selling prices 

 in animals that have been fattened is very apparent. The difference 

 between the buying and selling price, as a rule, should not be less 

 than one cent per pound, if any considerable profit is to come to 

 the feeder. Before substantial profits can be assured, this differ- 

 ence should be from one and one-fourth to one and one-half cents 

 per pound. 



At first thought it may be imagined that, since profit in feeding 

 comes from the increase in value in the weight possessed by the 

 animal at the time of purchase, the more the animal weighs at that 

 time the greater will be the profit resulting from fattening. In 

 many instances that does not follow, since young animals con- 

 siderably below maturity make greater increase for the food fed 

 to them. 



GOOD CONDITION AND PREGNANCY. 



The fallacy so extensively believed that pregnant animals should 

 be kept in moderately low flesh has done much harm. It is of course 

 quite possible to keep a pregnant dam in a condition of flesh too 

 high for the w r ell-being of the progeny, but the instances in which 

 this occurs are few indeed compared with those in which the op- 

 posite is true. 



The pregnant animal, while in this condition, must maintain her- 

 self and also nourish the foetus which she carries. The double duty 

 thus present calls for liberal feeding. Where this is not forthcom- 

 ing, the foetus is sustained in part at least at the expense of a low- 

 ered condition of flesh in the animal. This of course reduces the 

 ability of the dam to properly nourish the offspring after birth. 



After the young animal has been born, the drain upon the dam 

 for its sustenance is usually heavy. To meet this need, the tax 

 upon the system of the dam usually lowers her flesh though liberally 

 fed. It follows, therefore, that a dam in good condition when her 

 offspring are born can nourish them better than one in low condi- 

 tion. The former has stored up flesh previously which is now drawn 

 upon to feed the offspring. 



COMFORTABLE HOUSING. 



Animals that are being fattened must be protected from exces- 

 sive cold or the cost of food in proportion to the gains made will 

 be materially increased. It is probable, nevertheless, that more 

 loss results from keeping animals too warm and closely confined 

 while being fattened than from exposing them unduly to cold. 

 Recent experiments have shown that animals fattened in sheds with 

 liberty to move about in the same and also in yards adjacent, have 

 brought higher profit than those tied in the stall. The former con- 

 sumed more food, but they also made greater gains. 



The degree of the exposure or of the protection that should be 

 given varies with the class of the animal. Sheep, for instance, will 

 bear more cold than cattle and cattle than swine, but it is imperative 



