CHAPTER VIII. 



RELATION OP FOOD TO ANIMAL REQUIREMENTS. 



T7ie Requirements of the Young Animal. Composition of colostrum 

 and milk Suitable albuminoid ratio of the food Importance of 

 ash constituents. The Adult Animal. Production of Heat 

 Production of Work Maintenance diets Labour diet. The Fatten- 

 ing Animal. Conditions necessary for increase Results obtained 

 when fattening oxen, sheep, and pigs, on ordinary diets Altera- 

 tions in consumption of food, and rate of increase, as fattening 

 proceeds Albuminoid ratios for fattening animals. Production of 

 Wool. Composition of wool Influence of diet. Production of 

 Milk. Influence of diet on the quantity of the milk Albuminoid 

 ratio for milk-cows Comparative yield of nitrogenous produce by 

 cow and ox Influence of diet on the quality of milk and butter. 



The Young Growing Animal. The special character 

 of the nutrition of young animals is the rapid formation 

 of nitrogenous tissue and bone, for which purpose an 

 abundant supply of albuminoids and ash constituents in 

 the food is clearly requisite. 



The kind of food most appropriate to the wants of a 

 young animal is shown by the composition of milk. The 

 milk supplied to the young immediately after birth (the 

 colostrum) is of a very concentrated description. During 

 the first week after birth the quantity of the milk greatly 

 increases, and its composition gradually alters from that 

 of colostrum to that of ordinary milk. 



In the following table will be found the composition 

 of the colostrum and milk yielded by various animals ; 

 the numbers given are the mean of many analyses. 



