45O FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



The influence which food has upon future develop- 

 ment is very potent. Feed a young animal on food low 

 relatively in. mineral matter and protein and the framework 

 is, deficient and weak, while it carries too large a propor- 

 tion of fat. The outcome is dwarfed development. Corn 

 when fed to excess produces these results. This has been 

 abundantly shown by experiments at the Wisconsin station 

 and also in the experience of individual feeders. Swine 

 grown largely on pasture, succulent and nourishing, as 

 clover, alfalfa or rape, will make greater and more pro- 

 longed gains than those grown entirely on grains. Suc- 

 culent foods also put cattle and sheep into that "sappy," 

 condition of flesh that is favorable to quick gains and pro- 

 longed fattening. Present results, therefore, are not the 

 only returns obtained by feeding certain foods. The skilled 

 fitter of show animals feeds foods that will insure size, and 

 enough but not too much of flesh to ripen the animal too 

 soon. It is thus prepared for the highest pressure feeding, 

 until within a reasonable time of the show season. Such 

 feeding is reserved for the last spurt, as it were, since if this 

 were done too soon, the necessary bloom, that is fine ap- 

 pearance, could not be maintained. 



The influence of driving the machinery of the digestion 

 at too rapid a rate is discussed elsewhere. (See p. 115, al- 

 so p. 377). Overwork in the young animal hinders develop- 

 ment and correspondingly hinders useful performance. 

 Overwork in the mature animal lessens future usefulness 

 and shortens the period of the same. 



Foods vary in adaptation. Foods vary in their adap- 

 tation not only for animals of the same class at different 

 ages, but also for animals of different classes. Due recogni- 

 tion must be given to those variations by those who are 

 to make a success of growing live stock. That foods vary 

 in their adaptation for animals of the same class at dif- 

 ferent ages is self-evident, but the precise nature of the 

 adaptation calls for careful thought and forethought, that a 

 proper supply of each factor may be on hand when wanted. 



