PROCESS OF FATTENING. 



125 



EESULTS OBTAINED IN RELATION TO FOOD CONSUMED. 



It is evident from the upper division of the table that 

 pigs are able to consume far more food in proportion to 

 their weight than either sheep or oxen. This is due to 

 the concentrated and digestible character of the food 

 (corn meal) supplied to a fattening pig, and to the great 

 capacity of this animal for assimilation. The proportion 

 of stomach is greater in a fat ox or sheep than in a pig, 

 being on 100 Ibs. live weight, 3*2 for the ox, 2*5 for the 

 sheep, and 0*7 for the pig. On the other hand, the 

 proportion of the intestines is greater with the pig than 

 with sheep or oxen. Euminant animals are thus best 

 fitted for dealing with food requiring a prolonged diges- 

 tion, while the pig excels in the capacity for assimilation. 

 As a natural result of the larger consumption of food, 

 the pig increases in weight much more speedily than 

 either the sheep or ox ; but not only is the rate of 

 increase more rapid, the increase yielded by the pig is 

 also far greater in proportion to the food received, as 



* Since these estimates were made the fattening capacity of both sheep 

 and oxen has apparently increased, owing to improvements in the breeds. 



f In calculating the amount of food consumed for the production of 

 heat and work, it has been assumed that the fat in the increase has been 

 derived from the fat and carbo-hydrates supplied by the food. 



J Dry matter of solid excrement and urine, exclusive of litter. 



