260 AN EGG FARM. 



food fat eaten during this time was 11.6 Ibs., 5.7 Ibs-. only of which was 

 digested, consequently at least 57.2 Ibs. of the milk fat must have had 

 some source other than fat in the food consumed. 



" The milk fat could not have come from previously stored body fat. 

 This assertion is supported by three considerations: (a) The cow's 

 body could have contained scarcely more than 60 Ibs. of fat at the 

 beginning of the experiment; (b) she gained 47 Ibs. in body weight 

 during this period of time with no increase of body nitrogen, and was 

 judged to be a much fatter cow at the end;(c) the formation of this 

 quantity of milk fat from the body fat would have caused a marked 

 condition of emaciation, which, because of an increase in the body 

 weight, would have required the improbable increase in the body of 

 104 Ibs. of water and intestinal contents." 



Commenting on the above the editor of the American 

 Agriculturist well says : 



"To put in plain United States language that the average dairyman 

 can understand, we state thus the case learnedly set forth by Dr. Jor- 

 dan : This cow in three months gave in her milk 57 Ibs. more fat than 

 she consumed. Evidently the cow converted into fat part of the 

 sugar, starch, fiber, protein, etc., that she consumed. That cows can 

 really do this was not before known. This may explain why it is that 

 rations deficient in fat or oil may produce milk rich in fat. The 

 experiment also shows what wonderful and little understood pro- 

 cesses go on in the animal system. Only a few weeks ago they 

 removed a woman's stomach and she is now well and thriving, thus 

 completely upsetting much of the 'physiology ' we have been taught 

 for years. Assuredly, how little is really known about the animal 

 economy ! Facts like these emphasize the marvel of life force." 



Yet there are very many persons who reason that the 

 constituents of wheat resemble the white of an egg and 

 therefore they must feed that grain to laying hens even 

 if it costs twice as much as corn being afraid that the 

 latter contains too much oily matter, forgetting that the 

 yolk has much fat, and serves as the first food of a chick, 

 as the first food of a calf is rich in cream, and that an 

 omnivorous animal can digest and assimilate what ifc 

 requires from a variety of foods, among which corn 

 stands pre-eminent for cheapness in this country. 



