364 THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



closely estimated for any given case. It is considered 

 satisfactory if the rate of increase during a reasonably 

 long period of fattening is 2 pounds live weight a day. 

 This means the actual addition to the dry substance of 

 the body of from 1.3 to 1.5 pounds. Sometimes during 

 short periods with excessive feeding the daily gain may 

 be 3 pounds live weight, and generally after animals are 

 well fattened, during the finishing period, it may be as 

 low as 1 pound or less. The actual daily growth of new 

 material may vary then, aside from the water, from .6 to 

 2.25 pounds a day. Actual fat formation may thus 

 range from A to 1.8 pounds a day. The protein-con- 

 tent of the increase, on the other hand, probably does 

 not exceed .3 pound daily in any instance, and with 

 mature animals it is very insignificant. 



461. The food needs of the fattening steer. In view 

 of the foregoing facts and of the conclusion as to the fat- 

 forming function of carbohydrates, it is clear that the 

 non-protein part of the ration may be the source of the 

 chief part of the body substance laid on by a fattening 

 steer. The amount of protein necessary for constructive 

 work seems to be very small with mature animals it is 

 practically nothing. It would seem, then, looking at the 

 matter merely from the standpoint of the demands for 

 growth, that in feeding fairly mature animals for beef 

 production a ration may be efficient with a wide nutritive 

 ratio, much wider than was recommended in the Ger- 

 man standards. 



It is recognized, though, that we cannot decide upon 

 a ration merely upon the basis of the raw materials that 

 are needed for constructive purposes. The influence of a 

 particular feed or of a variety of feeds on the appetite 

 and on what we speak of as general condition, as 



