444 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



this subject, it will be safe to affirm: (i) That the food 

 of dams that are pregnant should be generous; (2) that 

 it should be richer for pregnant dams that are immature 

 than for those that are mature, and (3) that when harm 

 comes to such dams or their progeny from liberal feeding, 

 it is because the ration is unsuitable in kind, rather than 

 in quantity. 



Dams that are pregnant should be fed generously for 

 the following reasons : First, at such a time they are sus- 

 taining two animals. The food which results in develop- 

 ment of the embryo comes, of course, from the dam. Oth- 

 erwise she would utilize it herself as far as necessary to 

 meet her needs. Second, because of the heavy drain upon 

 the system of the dam in supplying the progeny with milk 

 after birth. She is almost certain to loose flesh at such 

 a time and all the more so if "she is a generous milker. This 

 loss in some instances is not less than 100 pounds within 

 say 150 days of the time of calving even though the feeding 

 is generous. This means lhat to some extent she draws 

 upon certain of the organized constituents or materials of 

 her system, particularly the fat to furnish food for her young 

 offspring. The more fleshy she is at the time of parturition, 

 the more of this reserve is there to draw from, the less 

 will she suffer from emaciation, and the more generously 

 will the progeny be maintained. Third, it is almost im- 

 possible to prevent some loss of flesh in a generous milk- 

 ing dam for a time at least, during the early part of the 

 milk giving period, howsoever liberal the feeding may be. 

 If such a dam is in low flesh at the time of parturition, the 

 further loss of flesh which follows lowers her vital energies 

 to such an extent that her progeny is not so well sustained, 

 and her future usefulness is so far lessened. Her system 

 must be built up again before profitable conception will 

 follow. 



When pregnant dams are immature, a threefold burden 

 is put upon them. The first is, that of maintenance ; the sec- 

 ond, that of nourishing the embryo, and the third, that of 



