448 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



also after maturity has been reached and as age advances, 

 is evident as a result of the less perfect assimilation of the 

 food consumed as the animal grows older. Individuality 

 also exercises an influence, as animals of the same breed, 

 sex and age, differ much in their ability to assimilate food. 

 Armsby, quoting from German investigations, gives the 

 following with reference to the food of maintenance called 

 for to support 1,000 pounds of live weight with oxen and 

 sheep: Oxen required daily, 0.6 pound digestible protein 

 and 7.5 pounds digestible non-nitrogenous nutrients. The 

 coarse wooled breeds of sheep required, 1.2 pounds and 

 10.8 pounds, and the fine wooled breeds, 1.5 pounds and 

 12 pounds respectively, of these nutrients. 



That production of any kind is not possible unless the 

 amount of food given exceeds the amount for maintenance 

 is self-evident. Notwithstanding, the instances are frequent 

 on the farm where the food of support is all that is required. 

 Such is frequently the case with horses that are being car- 

 ried through the winter. There may be instances when it 

 is judicious to feed a quantity somewhat short of main- 

 tenance as when animals designed for breeding carry 

 an excess of flesh, or when show animals are to be reducea 

 temporarily, subsequently to the season during which they 

 have been exhibited. 



That the profit from the food consumed is proportion- 

 ate to the amount that is properly assimilated, is also self- 

 evident, hence the wisdom of feeding animals in excess of 

 the needs of maintenance, according to the production re- 

 quired of them. Pregnant animals must be given more 

 than the food of maintenance to develop the foetus which 

 they carry. Horses at work must be given food in 

 excess of maintenance according to the work required of 

 them. Cows in milk should be given all the suitable food 

 that they can properly digest without overtaxing the di- 

 gestion, and the same is true of animals that are being- 

 fattened. Growing animals should be given enough suit- 

 able food to produce full development and proper in kind 



