l86 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



for the production of heat, and the additional nitrogenous 

 food for the production of muscular tissue or of muscular 

 exertion. 



2. From an examination of 9, 10, and n in the table, 

 it will be noticed that for all growing animals the nutritive 

 ratios are narrow and that the younger the animal is, the 

 narrower is the ratio, for the reason that for the devel- 

 opment of all the important parts of the animal, nitrog- 

 enous food is absolutely essential and in sufficient supply to 

 secure the necessary development needed above what will be 

 oxidized and excreted. 



3. While for animals at rest but a small amount of fat 

 is required, it must be increased very considerably for ani- 

 mals working or fattening, for the reason in the one case 

 that heat is required which the fat readily supplies and in 

 the other that fat in the food conduces both directly and 

 indirectly to the formation of body fat. 



4. An examination of the total nutritive substance as 

 given in the table which appertains to the growing of cat- 

 tle, sheep and swine respectively, will show that the total 

 nutritive substance set down as being required for each age 

 given per 1000 pounds live weight, decreases relatively 

 more or less rapidly with advancing age in the animal. But 

 with it the relative increase made decreases even more rap- 

 idly (see p. 371). This indicates the great importance of 

 securing, during the whole time of the animal's develop- 

 ment, the largest increase consistent with economy. 



5. Cattle that are reduced in flesh and fat cannot at 

 once be quickly fattened as before quick fattening can fol- 

 low, the animals to be fattened must possess a certain pro- 

 portion of both organized and circulatory protein before 

 they are capable of rapidly storing up the protein and fat 

 of the food as new fat (see p. 377). 



6. The proportion of fat and also the proportion of the 

 same in the standard ration for milch cows is less than in 

 the rations for fattening. Since the fat of the ration does 

 not increase the percentage of fat in the milk, but it does 



