474 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



substance, 6.33 pounds of fat and 1.35 pounds of mineral 

 matter produced in one week, whereas during a similar 

 period a steer gaining 21-7 pounds daily will produce 

 1.13 pounds nitrogenous substance, 9.53 pounds of fat 

 and 0.22 pound of mineral matter. The cow also pro- 

 duces 8.32 pounds of milk sugar for which there 

 is no equivalent in the ox. The ox will call for as 

 much food as the cow, if not indeed more, while thus 

 producing. The showing made is strongly in favor of the 

 greater economy in production from the cow. 



It should be noticed, however, that the comparison re- 

 lates to production from mature animals, which is, so far, 

 against meat production. Meat is usually produced much 

 more economically by the cattle beast not yet mature. It 

 makes no allowance for maintenance while the cow is dry, 

 which usually covers from one-sixth to one-fifth of the 

 year. Nor does it consider the items of labor, which is 

 greater in the case of milk production. The necessity also 

 for meat in the human dietary, will make its production 

 imperative in progressive communities. 



That conditions largely govern profits in milk and meat 

 production cannot be gainsaid. Under range conditions, 

 meat is produced at a very low cost, whereas, in the very 

 nature of things, milk cannot be produced at all under the 

 same conditions. On the other hand, nutrients can cer- 

 tainly be produced more cheaply in the form of milk under 

 intensive conditions, but even under these, much coarse 

 food can be made into meat, not well suited to making 

 milk. 



That the time will never come when producing beef, 

 mutton or pork under all conditions will be less profitable 

 than producing the other classes of meat, or less economi- 

 cal, will be evident to the reflecting mind. A small flock of 

 sheep, for instance, can be kept during the grazing season 

 on the average farm on the food grown in by-places. This 

 food in the absence of sheep would probably be wasted. 

 The nutrients in mutton thus grown are furnished more 



