CHAPTER VII. 



PRINCIPLES THAT RELATE TO PROLONGED 

 USEFULNESS. 



Years ago domestic animals matured much more slowly 

 than they do today. Those intended for labor were not 

 pushed so rapidly nor were they required to work so early 

 as is customary with such animals today. Those intended 

 for the block were given at least 50 per cent more time 

 in which to reach maturity than is accorded to them today. 

 Nor were cows reared for the dairy bred so young as now. 

 The bearing of this upon prolonged usefulness with reference 

 to labor, continuity in profitable breeding and abundant milk 

 giving 1 was very direct and far-reaching. Unquestionably, 

 the relation between the time required for maturity 

 and the continuity of usefulness is very direct and close. 

 There is not the shadow of a doubt in the mind of the 

 author that quick maturity secured under high pressure 

 feeding tends to shorten this period of usefulness in the 

 life of the animal, notwithstanding that the demonstration 

 of this fact may in a sense be an impossibility at the present 

 time, from the absence of the necessary data. 



The benefits from prolonged usefulness are many and 

 important. These include the following: (i) The ani- 

 mal must be grown for a time before it begins to give any 

 return, hence, the shorter the period of usefulness in ani- 

 mals, the larger the number that must be grown in order 

 to produce a given result. From want of sufficient data, it 

 may not be possible to show that there is more profit in 

 maturing animals for labor and milk giving, also for breed- 

 ing with only moderate haste than under high pressure 

 feeding, but in view of the fact, first, that fewer animals 

 are to be reared and maintained to produce a given result ; 

 second, that the results from breeding are more satisfactory ; 



no 



