32. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 



Importance of the Subject There is a large market 

 for meats, butter, eggs, lard, etc. The demand for wool, 

 leather, furs, feathers, glue, horns, etc., is also large. 

 Wild animals can not supply these wants entirely. Ani- 

 mals must, therefore, be raised on the farm. The pro- 

 duction of animals and of animal products, such as milk, 

 butter, eggs and wool, is a very important branch of 

 farming. 



What Must be Learned. Animal husbandry requires 

 a different kind of knowledge from that required for 

 grain, fruit or vegetable growing. Animals require more 

 attention than field crops. Their food, drink, light, and 

 the air that they breathe, all need to be looked after. The 

 care of their young demands careful attention. To learn 

 to feed animals in the way that is best for their develop- 

 ment and also least expensive to the farmer, requires 

 constant study. 



Economy in Raising Animals. As we have learned 

 in previous lessons, the selling of crops from the land 

 removes the richest part of the land. Unless this is re- 

 turned to the soil in some form, the soil will become 

 " poor," and it will be impossible to produce gjpod crops. 

 When animals are grown on the farm, however, the farm 

 products grown from the soil are fed to the animals, and 

 are largely returned to the soil in the form of manure. 

 The animal products that are sold, as meat, butter, eggs, 



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