MISCELLANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS 523 



That it would not be quite practicable in any other 

 way to adjust exactly the amount of salt given to the needs 

 of the animal will be apparent from the different amounts 

 called for by animals of different classes, different 

 ages, fed under different conditions as to performance, 

 and on different kinds of food. It would not be quite pos- 

 sible, therefore, to name amounts to be thus fed except in 

 the most general way. The amount mentioned as suitable 

 for a dairy cow is % of an ounce per day, and for a steer 

 of 1,000 pounds weight as I ounce per day when fattening 

 begins, and an increase of the same up to more than 1^2 

 ounces before the finishing period. That the exact amounts 

 of salt required cannot thus be perfectly adjusted, however, 

 is not inconsistent with feeding salt in small quantities in 

 the food to make it more appetizing, providing it is not 

 thus fed in excess of the needs of the animals. 



This is not the place to discuss the exact mode or 

 modes of giving salt to animals. But it may be mentioned 

 that the aim should be to have it accessible to them at all 

 times, whether in the stall, the yard, the feed lot or in the 

 pasture. It is given in the form of common salt or of rock 

 salt. When given as common salt, it must be protected 

 from rain, which dissolves it. The objections have, in some 

 instances, been raised against rock salt that animals do 

 not always get enough of it and that sometimes the process 

 of licking it makes the tongue sore. 



Silage a varying quantity. Corn silage is one of the 

 most important fodders in feeding dairy cows, and that it 

 will become more important relatively cannot be questioned. 

 But in feeding it to cows and also to other stock the fact 

 should not be overlooked that relatively its value varies so 

 much, that the character of its nutrients should be carefully 

 taken into account when deciding upon the other food 

 factors that shall be fed with it. These variations arise: 

 (i) From the method of growth adopted; (2). from the de- 

 gree of maturity at which the crop has been harvested; (3) 



