128 THE CHEMISTRY OP THE FAEM. 



The figures in this table illustrate in a striking manner 

 the alterations in the proportion of food consumed, and 

 increase yielded, during the period of fattening. The 

 weights of food refer to meal in its natural state, and 

 do not represent dry substance. The irregularities in the 

 progression of the figures are due to the variable appetite 

 and condition of the animals. Animals when first con- 

 fined, and supplied with fattening food, generally increase 

 largely in weight during the first few weeks, after 

 which the rate of increase diminishes to a considerable 

 extent. 



The composition of the animal increase accumulated 

 during fattening has been already given on page 79. 

 The proportion of nitrogenous matter in this increase is 

 very small, the albuminoid ratio of the increase in the 

 case of the pig being only 1 : 19, and in that of the sheep 

 1 : 22. For the purpose of rapid fattening we must not, 

 however, provide food containing as low a proportion of 

 albuminoids as is stored up in the increase ; the animal 

 body, in fact, requires a constant supply of albuminoids 

 for the renovation as well as for the production of tissue. 

 A diet tolerably rich in albuminoids is also both more 

 digestible, and of greater feeding value, than a diet poor 

 in this constituent. 



Wolff recommends a more nitrogenous diet for fat- 

 tening sheep than for oxen or pigs. The ratio of nitro- 

 genous to non-nitrogenous substance which he recom- 

 mends for fattening sheep is 1 : 5*5, concluding with 

 1 : 4'5. For pigs, 1 : 4 5 below 5 months, and 1 : 5.5 

 1 : 6*5, as the age and weight increases. For oxen 1 : 6'5 

 at the commencement of fattening, to be reduced to 1 : 5.5 

 when fattening in earnest has set in. In all these diets, 



