282 AMERICAN CATTLE. 



this power has to be furnished from some source, and we hold 

 that the power so produced in the internal system of the animal 

 itself, is the dearest possible way of making it. Cooking, or 

 warming the food, is, therefore, a great economy, much more, we 

 consider, than its additional expense. We shall examine this 

 subject hereafter. 



Cattle thus stall-fed, should only leave their stables for water, 

 and a little exercise. An hour in a day, altogether, is quite 

 enough for both, at either once, or twice, as they may need it. 

 With their food well moistened, water once a day may be 

 enough, or twice, at the extent. They should have all the rest 

 they need, and if kept clean, as they should be, and well bedded 

 with straw, or other litter, which is better than on a bare floor, 

 they will lie down most of the time when not feeding, and take 

 on flesh much faster. Such, we esteem, the perfection of the 

 stock-feeding process. 



In opposition to this expensive process, as many Western gra- 

 ziers may consider it, they contend that, by feeding corn in the 

 ear to cattle, and letting swine follow them in the fields, all 

 the grain is consumed. What passes the cattle wholly, o^ in 

 part, unmasticated, as a considerable portion of it does, is taken 

 by the swine, swelled and partially cooked, and better prepared 

 for them. We admit the fact, but it is a dirty and slovenly way 

 of swine feeding, and the flesh they thus take on is of an inferior 

 quality. "Besides this, the jaws of the cattle must be the grind- 

 ing mill for the grain, and their stomachs the cooking cauldron 

 for the process; and a more expensive method for either cannot 

 well be imagined. The muscular power for grinding, and the 

 heat for cooking, must both be supplied by extraordinary quan- 

 tity of grain fed to them. We fully admit the manual labor 

 saving in this more primitive process over the other, but contend, 

 also, that the greater economy in the saving of food, is much 

 more than a compensation, and a larger profit is left to the stock 

 owner by the improved process. 



