168 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



rnals tolerate 113° F. Feed that is too hot may under circumstances 

 cause fatal disease. The minimum temperature is more difficult to deter- 

 mine, but ranges in the neighborhood of 44° or 45° F. Stabled animals 

 should not receive water that is too cold. Aside from the danger of 

 digestive disturbances (diarrhea and colic) and possible abortion in preg- 

 nant animals, feed at too low temperature abstracts considerable heat 

 from the body, which must be replaced at the expense of so much nutri- 

 ment. 



Mangers, feeding racks and boxes as well as all vessels and implements 

 used in connection with feeding should be kept clean and all traces of 

 leavings, especially of wet or steamed feeding stuffs should be removed. 

 The latter have a tendency to decompose rapidly, and the consequences 

 of this we should seek to avoid. Cleanliness is indispensable in success- 

 ful feeding. Neglect in this respect is the explanation of many cases of 

 poor appetite or of the supposed presence of undesirable feed admixtures. 

 One should not be deceived with the idea that the leavings of one feed 

 will be consumed with the next ration. This is particularly applicable 

 to the horse. Sensitive animals will submit to a certain degree of starva- 

 tion before they will eat leavings with an unpleasant or sour smell. The 

 preparation of the feed (cooking, steaming, scalding) should immedi- 

 ately precede feeding. The practice of letting feeding stuffs of this char- 

 acter stand around for days before using is, on account of their great 

 tendency to ferment and spoil, condemnable to say the least. 



The time or times for feeding must be chosen to suit the age as well 

 as the use of the animal. While a single feed per day suffices for dogs, 

 cattle should be fed three times (rarely twice or in case of bulky feed, 

 four times), sheep four times, swine three or four times, horses three 

 times, and young stock four to six times. Toward the end of the fatten- 

 ing period, when the appetite has become less keen, it pays to feed 

 oftener, in smaller quantities, but the periods should be distributed as 

 equally as possible throughout the day. Regularity of feeding should 

 be strictly observed. If the periods between meals are unusually pro- 

 longed the feed is taken up with too much greed, mastication is neglected, 

 ensalivation suffers, and overeating may occur, causing disturbances of 

 digestion and nutrition. If the feeding intervals are too short the appe- 

 tite fails and the rations are not fully consumed; the beslavered feed 

 that remains produces aversion and is wasted, and nutrition suffers. 



Milk cows should be fed after milking. The common practice of feed- 

 ing before milking reduces the milk yield, and in case of dry feeding 

 (hay) pollutes the air and, in turn, infects the milk with bacteria. 



Work animals should have sufficient intervals of rest. Horses should 

 rest two hours, work oxen three. Oxen require more time to ruminate. 



The percentage of dry matter in the ration serves as a basis for the 

 volume administered. The daily requirement of dry matter for young, 

 suckling animals is between one-fiftieth and one-sixtieth of the live 

 weight. As the animal develops this should be increased. At the age of 



