86 LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM 



do not of themselves drink as much water as in summer, and 

 this also becomes a serious handicap. If, however, these 

 factors are provided for, animals can be made to do as well in 

 winter as in summer. To be sure, it will cost a little more in win- 

 ter than in summer but a man cannot handle farm animals at all 

 if he does not have them in winter as well as in summer. 



Palatability of a Ration. — In order that a ration may do an 

 animal the most good it must not only be a combination of 

 good feeds but it must also be palatable. The desire of an 

 animal for something from without to supply what the meta- 

 bolism needs in the form of dry matter is called appetite. If 

 there is a call from within for water it is called thirst. When 

 there is a demand for food resulting in hunger, which is simply 

 a call for some necessary substances to furnish material for 

 energy, heat, growth or fat production, the animal is said to 

 have an appetite. The call is from the cell within by way of 

 the nervous system to the organs of digestion and ingestion. 

 The important part of this phenomenon is that when an ani- 

 mal is hungry or has an appetite the digestive system and 

 everything else that has to do with the handling of this feed is 

 ready for work. If the feed is palatable or the animal likes 

 it, it does the animal the most good. Palatability is secured 

 by regularity of feeding, by feeding digestible feeds, by not 

 feeding too much. Feeds are also made palatable by making 

 proper combinations and by feeding such feeds and in such 

 forms as the animal likes. 



Changes in Ration. — One feed may be just as good as an- 

 other or one may be better than another, according to con- 

 ditions. The animal body is subject to habit. An animal 

 may not be doing as well as it should and a change in the 

 ration or environment may be indicated. The new ration 

 may be much better than the old one but if the change is not 

 properly made it will for a time be harmful rather than bene- 

 ficial. If the change is properly made from an inferior to a 

 superior ration the improvement is at once perceptible. The 

 animal must be one that is in good condition and be able to 

 respond to good treatment. A run-down animal like a worn- 

 out automo])ile will not work right no matter how well it is 

 treated. 



