96 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



These experiments should impress upon the stockman the plastic 

 nature of the bodies of young, growing animals. They show it possible 

 for immature animals living on unsuitable food to survive a long time and 

 develop bodies that are dwarfed in size and made unnaturally fat. They 

 help to show that Nature 's plan is first to grow the body framework and 

 afterwards to lay on the fat. They point to the reasonable, important, 

 and far-reaching conclusion that if a pig or other young animal is im- 

 properly fed so as to modify its bones, muscles, and vital organs even a 

 very little, and the process is repeated during several generations, the 

 cumulative effects of this on the offspring will be marked. The prac- 

 tical lesson is taught that young animals should be nurtured on a combina- 

 tion of feeding stuffs that will develop the normal framework of bone, 

 muscle, and all body organs. This calls for a ration containing crude 

 protein and mineral matter not only in ample amount, but also of suit- 

 able composition for rapid formation of body tissues. Having developed 

 the proper framework of bone, together with the enveloping muscular 

 system and all the organs of the body, the food supply may then consist 

 largely of carbohydrates and fat, which are the cheap and abundant 

 sources of animal fat. 



In America corn is the common feeding stuff for swine, and pigs show 

 such fondness for it that harm often results, because the practice of the 

 feeder and breeder is guided by the appetite of the animal rather than by 

 a knowledge of the composition and limitations of feeds. Let us not 

 find fault with corn because when wrongly and excessively used, as it 

 purposely was in these experiments with young, growing pigs, it fails to 

 develop the normal framework of bone and muscle. Each feed has its 

 function in the nutrition of animals, and only by its abuse can unfavor- 

 able results follow. 



136. Wide and narrow rations for growing steers.-The effect of a ration 

 rich in crude protein and of one quite low in protein on the rate of 

 growth and the character of flesh formed by growing steers was studied 

 in an experiment by Jordan at the Maine Station. 44 Two high-grade 

 Shorthorn steer calves, 5 to 7 months old when the trial began, were fed a 

 ration rich in protein, made up of a concentrate mixture of 2 parts of lin- 

 seed meal, 1 part of wheat bran, and 1 part of corn, with timothy hay, 

 corn fodder, and corn silage for roughage. A second lot of 2 calves 

 was fed a ration low in protein, consisting of the same roughages as the 

 first pair and a concentrate mixture composed of 2 parts corn and 1 part 

 of wheat bran. The ration fed Lot I had the narrow nutritive ratio of 

 1 :5.2, while that fed Lot II had the wide nutritive ratio of 1 :9.7. The 

 ration fed Lot I in this trial was not nearly so deficient for promoting 

 growth as a ration of corn alone for young pigs, for it was fairly high 

 in mineral matter and furthermore the protein, tho low in amount, 

 was better balanced in composition than that furnished by corn grain 

 glone. 



"Maine Rpt. 1895. 



