458 NUTRITION OF FARM ANIMALS 



which can hardly fail to suffer through overconfinement. The 

 above principles apply in a general way to all classes of stock. 

 In particular, hogs should be given an opportunity for more 

 movement and exercise than is frequently allowed. 



In the case of animals which have reached the fattening stage, 

 on the other hand, there is comparatively little growth of pro- 

 tein tissue, while it is only necessary to maintain sufficient health 

 to ensure a normal appetite and assimilation of feed. In pro- 

 portion, then, as this stage is reached, the endeavor should be 

 to reduce the amount of exercise taken and to keep the fatten- 

 ing animal as quiet as possible. To this end comfortable quar- 

 ters should be provided, with plentiful bedding, and the animals 

 should be kept -as undisturbed as possible, so that they may 

 " eat and lie down." This is particularly important in the case 

 of the sheep on account of its timid nature. For similar rea- 

 sons it is desirable to have the water supply of fattening animals 

 close at hand. 



545. Water supply. It should never be forgotten that 

 rapid production, involving the utilization of relatively large 

 amounts of feed, requires the consumption of a corresponding 

 amount of water for the physiological purposes of the animal. 

 For this reason, as well as for the one previously mentioned (540), 

 it is desirable that stock should have ready access to water, if 

 possible, at all times and that the water supplied should not be 

 too cold to be consumed freely by the animals. 



