3Q6 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



results in greater relative gains through the saving ef- 

 fected in the food of maintenance, and probably also 

 through the more perfect assimilation of the nutrients. This 

 increase is more than sufficient to overcome the increase;! 

 loss of bodily heat by the animals that are loose, since they 

 are more exposed to the cold. Animals confined are fre- 

 quently allowed to become too warm and the discomfort 

 resulting is adverse to their gains. 



To secure the best results, however, from feeding cattle 

 loose, it would seem correct to say that the following con- 

 ditions should all be present : ( i ) They should be horn- 

 less, either naturally or made so to prevent bodily injury. 

 (2) They should be fed under cover, unless in climates 

 quite mild and dry. (3) The concentrated food should be 

 fed in mangers in which the animals could be kept in 

 place by stanchions adjusted by one movement of a lever 

 until the meal is consumed. In this way the amount of 

 meal fed could be virtually controlled. Unless fed thus, 

 the strong may get more than their rightful share. (4) 

 The yards should be small and kept well bedded to avoid 

 unnecessary leaching of the manure. The litter should be 

 sufficiently ample to prevent discomfort to the animals when 

 at rest, either from the presence of frozen lumps or of 

 miry or even unduly saturated conditions. 



Finishing animals on pasture. In the discussion of 

 this question the following points necessarily come up for 

 consideration : ( i ) The degree of the finish that may be 

 expected from pasture alone; (2) the season for finishing 

 to secure the greatest profit; (3) the amount of grain that 

 may be used with highest profit in supplementing pastures ; 

 (4) the relative profit from such finishing and (5) the 

 mistake of finishing on sparse pastures. 



The degree of the finish that may be expected from 

 pastures is influenced by the character of the pastures and 

 duration of the pasturing period. Some pastures furnish 

 decidedly more nutriment than others in proportion to the 

 food consumed. The short pastures of the western ranges 



