CHAPTER V. 



PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN HABIT IN DIGES- 

 TION AND ASSIMILATION. 



Digestion means the preparing of foods for being re- 

 sorbed into the system. Assimilation is the process of re- 

 sorbing them when thus prepared. The two processes 

 though closely related are distinct and yet both are fre- 

 quently included in the term digestion. Certain principles 

 govern both processes which have the strength of law. Con- 

 sequently they cannot be ignored by the stockman without 

 paying a proportionate penalty. In its essence, habit in 

 digestion and assimilation is the outcome of repetition con- 

 tinued long in one direction in a certain line. When the 

 repetition continues through a number of generations, it 

 becomes a habit of the system so fixed that it is transmitted 

 from generation to generation. The relation of habit to 

 these is evidenced: (i) In the fact of its existence; (2) 

 in the influences which flow from it; (3) in the modifica- 

 tions through food, and treatment of which it is susceptible, 

 and (4) in the greater ease or difficulty found in modifying 

 digestive and assimilative habits that have a bias in one or 

 more directions. 



Habit, digestion and assimilation. That habit exer- 

 cises a powerful influence on digestion and food assimilation 

 is abundantly evident. It is witnessed in the very different 

 results that come from feeding substantially the same foods 

 to animals of the same species and also to animals of differ- 

 ent species. Take, for instance, good hay and oats and 

 feed them to beef and dairy cows, to mutton and wool-pro- 

 ducing sheep, and to draft and standard-bred horses. Note 

 the difference in the product. The meat-making animals in 

 milk will turn the larger share of the food fed into muscle 



