Treatment of Ration 413 



Testimoii}' of this character is abundant, and the 

 lesson for practice is that animals should be fed for 

 market at the earliest age that is consistent with other 

 conditions. 



MANIPULATION OF THE RATION 



A great deal of experiment and discussion has been 

 devoted to the economy of various methods of treating 

 cattle foods, such as cutting, grinding, wetting and 

 cooking. The economy of these operations requires no 

 extended comment. It is a simple and safe rule that 

 any fodder or grain that in its natural condition is 

 palatable, is wholly eaten and is thoroughly masticated, 

 should be fed without the unnecessary expense which 

 these manipulations would cause. Grinding any mate- 

 rial that is not otherwise thoroughly masticated doubt- 

 less increases the efficiency of the food, but when the 

 grinding costs as much as 10 per cent of the market 

 price of the grain it is doubtful if any advantage 

 accrues. Cutting, unless for the purpose of mixing, 

 has the sole advantage of saving the animal a little 

 work. 



Wetting and cooking render certain foods more 

 tender and more palatable, and when this secures the* 

 consumption of materials otherwise wasted these opera- 

 tions may become economical. On the contrary, simi- 

 lar treatment of grain foods alread}' much liked by the 

 animal is, according to the majority of testimonj', an 

 occasion of loss rather than of gain. 



Practice differs as to the number of portions into 

 which the daily ration shall be divided. Some herds 



