MEAT PRODUCTION 395 



at will. Where it is desired to feed a relatively large pro- 

 portion of roughage to concentrates on the ground of econ- 

 omy, this is more easily accomplished than when animals 

 are fed together in a wholesale way. In such feeding to 

 animals, not confined in the stall, the stronger would get 

 more than their rightful share of the concentrates, and 

 the weaker less. (2) The food can be more perfectly ad- 

 justed to the needs of each animal. It frequently happens 

 that some variation in the kind and quantity of food fed 

 is helpful to the individual animal. This cannot be con- 

 trolled when animals are fed loose. (3) The temperature 

 can be more perfectly adjusted to the needs of the animals, 

 as undue cold may thus be excluded, and in this way un- 

 necessary waste avoided. (4) The degree of the exercise 

 can be so completely controlled that no energy will be 

 thus wasted at the expense of the food. (5) The resultant 

 fertilizer can be saved without waste where an ample supply 

 of litter is used. 



The chief arguments in favor of finishing in the shed 

 or yard are : ( I ) The saving effected in the labor of feed- 

 ing. This cannot be gainsaid, as the difference equals that 

 which results between doing work in a wholesale and retail 

 way. (2) The saving in the labor of handling the manure. 

 This is an important item. It is to some extent offset under 

 certain conditions by the leaching which takes place in open 

 yards in times of heavy rainfall, but this may be largely 

 prevented by restricting the size of the yards and supplying 

 ample litter. Manure made under cover with an ample 

 supply of litter by animals at liberty is of the best, as it 

 conserves all the liquid portion and does not suffer loss 

 readily by excessive fermentation. (3) Experience has 

 shown it to result in a majority of instances in larger 

 returns absolutely and relatively in proportion to the food 

 fed. This reason is very potent. That it is so arises 

 probably from the fact that the more exercise taken by the 

 animals at liberty causes them to take more food, which 



