376 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



The richer the ration and the more intense the feeding, 

 the shorter will be the period for making gains, for then 

 that condition of the system is sooner reached when quick 

 increase is not possible. Such feeding judiciously done, 

 insures more rapid increase for a time than more moderate 

 feeding, but it also makes increase slower when the feeding 

 is in any sense prolonged. 



The daily increase secured does not necessarily vary 

 greatly until the period is approached when animals under 

 judicious feeding are coming near that condition of finish 

 known as ripeness (see p. 389). Then it decreases, it may 

 be gradually at first, but with accelerated quickness the 

 longer the feeding is continued, and would at length reach 

 a point when further increase would altogether cease. 



The daily gains made will vary with the variations men- 

 tioned above. They are usually from the nature of things 

 most rapid during short periods of forced fattening. When 

 good cattle well grown are on feed for 150 days, the aver- 

 age gain for the entire period should be one and one-half 

 to 2 pounds per day. The average will not be more 

 than one and one-third pounds. Young animals not yet 

 grown, with most careful and suitable feeding may make 

 an increase of 2 pounds per day or even more than that 

 amount. Cattle fed large amounts of corn for 100 to 120 

 days may increase even more rapidly, but usually such gains 

 are relatively costly when corn is dear. Aged animals usu- 

 ally make a less gain than one and three-quarters pounds 

 daily. Lambs of good types between six and 12 months 

 when fed for 100 to 120 days will make a daily gain under 

 normal conditions of fattening of 0.3 pound or 9 pounds a 

 month. With all the conditions favorable an increase of 

 12 pounds may be made, but such gains are exceptional. 

 Ordinarily lambs will not gain more than 0.25 

 pound daily or 7% pounds per month. On rape pasture 

 the gains should be 10 pounds per month. Mature 

 wethers may gain -as quickly as lambs, but the rate 

 of increase will not be so long maintained. Swine 



