THE FATTENING ANIMAL 189 



modern domesticated breeds the intestines may be 

 more than twenty times the length of the body. Dif- 

 ferent individuals have different appetites, different 

 powers of digestion, and different rates of fattening. 



Best and quietness are essential for rapid fattening ; 

 the production of work must be suspended if the pro- 

 duction of fat is to proceed actively. An animal at 

 rest in a stall will increase in weight far more than an 

 animal taking active exercise on the same diet. A 

 moderate degree of warmth is also favourable to the 

 fattening process ; the economy of feeding animals 

 under cover in winter time is generally recognised. 

 In Danish experiments, pigs of about 150 lbs. weight 

 required 516 lbs. of corn meal in winter time to pro- 

 duce 100 lbs. of increase, while in summer 457 lbs. 

 sufficed to produce the same result. If, however, 

 the temperature becomes so high as to considerably 

 increase the perspiration, a waste of food will occur. 

 The temperature most favourable to animal increase 

 is apparently about 60° Fahr. Freedom from excite- 

 ment is essential to rapid fattening; the absence of 

 strong light is therefore desirable. 



As only that part of the food which is in excess of 

 the bodily requirements is converted into increase, 

 liberal feeding is, within certain limits, the most 

 economical. If an ox can be brought by liberal treat- 

 ment to 1,000 lbs. live weight at one year old, the 

 amount of food consumed will be far smaller than if 

 two years are spent in attaining the same weight, for 

 the food required for animal heat and work during the 

 second year is clearly saved. 



We have already considered the rations required by 

 an animal for maintenance only (p. 178), and have also 



