102 



Feeds and Feeding. 



the animal which had received less than a maintenance ration con- 

 taining only about one-half as much fat as that of the liberally 

 fed steer. 



''. " l ' * ' * \ Composition of fatty tissues of growing steers. 



In the process of fattening, the fat is laid on the body in a cer- 

 tain order, being deposited first and most rapidly in certain re- 

 gions, while in others little is stored until fattening is well ad- 

 vanced. Waters states that the reabsorption or withdrawal of fat 

 from the tissues occurs in the reverse order from which it was laid 

 on that first deposited being the last to be absorbed. 



The skeleton is not affected by poor nutrition until practically 

 all the fat has been removed from the muscles and other organs. 

 After the removal of fat from the muscles and other organs the 

 principal effect caused by poor nutrition is the removal of the fat 

 or marrow from the skeleton and the replacement of this with 

 water. In the case of a steer kept on submaintenance for 11 

 months, the marrow had nearly all disappeared, and in its place 

 was a watery, ill-smelling liquid. The reabsorption of fat takes place 

 from all parts of the skeleton. 



An experiment with two 8-months-old steers, one on full feed 

 and the other on a maintenance ration, showed that on the whole 

 the animal on full feed increased in height more rapidly than the 

 one on maintenance. However for a considerable period the poorly 

 fed steer grew as rapidly as the other. Waters states that the 

 length of the period during which poorly fed animals gain as 

 rapidly in height as well nourished ones ranges from 70 to 120 

 days, depending on the constitutional vigor of the individual and 

 the excess fat with which it starts. After this period the increase 

 in height becomes less rapid, ceasing altogether in from 6 months 

 to a year and a half, by which time the animal has become quite 

 thin and has reabsorbed all fat not necessary to its life. For 5 

 months a steer fed less than a maintenance ration and losing in 

 weight grew in height as fast as one on full feed. 



