GENERAL FEEDING 445 



further development. It is very evident that more food rela- 

 tively must be given to such an animal than to one mature, 

 and that it should also be richer relatively in protein to sus- 

 tain properly the dual development that is required. With 

 such a division of the energies of the system, poor feeding 

 would be doubly harmful. 



It would seem correct to say, that when pregnant ani- 

 mals are supplied with food rightly balanced as to its nutri- 

 ents, and with proper adjustment between the roughage and 

 concentrates, they are not much likely to accumulate flesh 

 to the extent of working harm to themselves or to their 

 young. It is when the nutrients are not rightly balanced 

 that such harm occurs. This may and does happen, when 

 sows for instance are fed mainly on corn while pregnant, 

 or when cows in a similar condition are fed mainly on 

 carbonaceous food, such as rye and corn fodder. In ad- 

 dition to possessing a large proportion of protein, the food 

 for such animals should be of such a character as to keep 

 the digestion correct. Constipation is to be carefully 

 avoided. The judicious feeding of such supplements as 

 bran, oil cake and field roots at such a time is to be strongly 

 commended. Instances may also occur when the animals 

 would become so fleshy as to disincline them to take enough 

 exercise for the well-being of their unborn progeny, but 

 usually this occurs only when the carbonaceous elements in 

 the ration are in excess. 



Feeding the first milk. The properties of the milk 

 first drawn from the dam after parturition are very differ- 

 ent, in degree at least, from those which it possesses when 

 normal. This milk, known as the colostrum, is more dense 

 in its consistency and yellow in color than natural milk. 

 The protein, that is the casein and albumen, in the first milk 

 of the cow, is about five times the amount of these products 

 in ordinary cow's milk and may considerably exceed the 

 proportions named. But it is much lower in milk sugar and 

 is also lower in fat. The composition of the first milk is 

 a provision of nature to meet the needs of the newly born 



