414 The Feeding of Animals 



are fed three times a day and some twice. While it 

 would be possible to feed too many times, or too 

 much at any one time, it seems more than probable 

 that if animals are fed regularly the ration may be 

 as efficient when divided into two portions as when 

 there are three feeding periods. The adaptation of 

 anj' system to the requirements of farm work is a 

 matter of more importance, probably, than any in- 

 fluences proceeding from the number of feeding periods. 

 The warming of the water consumed has been intro- 

 duced to some extent with dairy herds. Certainly it is 

 bad practice to force cows to drink ice-cold water, but 

 it is also bad practice to warm the water above the 

 point of palatableness. The likes and dislikes of 

 animals must be considered, and to ignore them, even 

 to save the small food expense necessary for warming 

 the ingested water, is not advisable. 



QUANTITY OF THE RATION 



Great stress is usually laid upon the fact that it 

 is only the food that is supplied above maintenance 

 needs which is productive. This truth, indiscrimi- 

 nately accepted, has led, the writer believes, to feed- 

 ing so excessively as to injure the health of the 

 animals and diminish profits. The largest production 

 is not always the most profitable. Abundant testimony 

 can be cited in support of the statement that very 

 heavy rations yield smaller returns per unit of food 

 consumed than more moderate ones. It is possible, 

 also, to adopt an unprofitable extreme in the direction of 



