COMPOSITION OF THE ANIMAL BODY 15 



With these results before us, the following observa- 

 tions can be made : 



Water. Generally speaking, water is the largest 

 constituent of the entire body of farm animals, and in 

 store or half-fat animals will often exceed half the 

 weight of the body. In the case of the extra fat sheep 

 and fat pig, the proportion of water in the body is 

 actually less than that of the fat. 



The bodies of young animals contain a larger pro- 

 portion of water than older ones. Again, by comparing 

 store and fat animals, it will be seen that, as fattening 

 proceeds, the proportion of water in the body diminishes. 



The proportion of water in the dressed carcass is 

 from 2 to 6 per cent, less than that in the entire body. 



Protein. This consists in the " entire body " of 

 lean meat (muscle), ligaments, tendons, skin, hair, hoofs, 

 and horns (if present). Dried blood is also fairly rich 

 in protein. 



The proportion of protein tends to increase from 

 youth to maturity (cf. fat calf and half-fat ox, or fat 

 lamb and store sheep). As the animal fattens, the pro- 

 portion of protein decreases. The largest proportion of 

 protein is found in the body of the ox, while that in the 

 pig is the smallest, although the proportion in the sheep 

 is not much greater than that in the pig. 



In the carcass the proportion of protein is about 

 the same with the ox and the pig as in the entire body, 

 but is i to 2\ per cent, less in the sheep. 



Fat. Fat forms a considerable proportion of the 

 entire body. In fat animals this varies from one-third 

 to almost one-half of the weight of the body. The 

 proportion of fat is greatest in the pig and smallest in 

 the ox (cf. fat sheep and fat pig). 



The bodies of young animals contain a smaller pro- 



