ECONOMY OF FARMING. 



39 



ing cattle in a definite time ; so much the more mehoration-fodder will be derived 

 from it ; and so much earlier will the fattening be completed. The quantity of fodder, 

 so far as it can be perfectly prepared, and assimib.ted by the organs of digestion, has 

 its limits. For a surplus on the one hand, occasions a limitation of the powers of 

 digestion, and on the other, a waste of the fodder ; whilst with too little fodder, the 

 fattening is protracted too far, and becomes too costly. 



" Universal experience shows, that an ox, in his last period of fattening, must have 

 double his conservation-fod ier, (1.85 lbs. of hay-value to 100 lbs. of hve-weight) ; 

 therefore daily 3.7 to 4 lbs. of hay-value to 100 lbs. of his live-weight. In the last period 

 of fattening, the digestive activity of the fattening beast is evidently circumscribed. 

 But since exactly in this period, the most nutritious, and most easily-digested articles of 

 fodder may be reached ; so they are able to take of them still more than in the earlier 

 period they can of the more voluminous means of nutriment. For the first fattening 

 period then we fix upon about 21 lbs ; for the 2d, 3 to 3^ lbs,, and for the 3d, 3^ to 

 4 lbs. in hay-value to the 100 lbs. of live-weight, as the daily conservation-fodder. 



" Usually cattle need to be fed 3 times in the day; when fed 4 times, the beasts 

 have too little time for rest, and to ruminate their food. If fed twice a day. such daily 

 fodder is first laid, in which the voluminous, coarse fodder forms the chief fattening- 

 fodder, and therefore also the slower fattening is chosen as the most suitable. In this 

 case, the beasts enjoy a long, unbroken rest, as the cheapest means of improvement, 

 and thus use up perfectly the nutriment given. 



"Among the most essential conditions of success is the order, in which the materials 

 of fodder should be given at each feeding, and the interchange of the different kinds 

 of fodder. 



"At first, we give the more voluminous means of nutriment, Hacksel of hay and 

 straw, with juicy fodder, roots and knobs, &c. ; in the second period of fattening less 

 of the voluminous, or hardly-digested, and more of the easily-digested and stronger, 

 in greater interchange, and in increased quantity ; and in the last period, the most 

 easily-dissolved, nutritive and most efficacious for forming flit, as well as the most 

 palatable. In this last period, great care is required to keep up tlie already declin- 

 ing digestive activity by tempting anew the sinking appetite, and thus introduce so 

 much food, and sustain the organs of assimUation in such efficiency, that either the 

 increase of weight of the animal or the perfection of the mass of flesh and fat may 

 pay sufficiently for the increased expense." 



" The 3 periods of fattening are usually so divided, that the last shall be the shortest, 

 because the most costly ; in which there is the least increase of weight, only the mass 

 of flesh and fat is perfected. If at the time of beginning of the fattening, the oxen are 

 in a good condition, not in a lean, but in a sound state, they can fat up ten the lesser 

 ones weighing from 8 1 to 9^ cwt.. in two months, and others weighing from 10 to 12 cwt. 

 in 3 months. Most commonly we allow 3 months to the former, and 5 months to the 

 latter, and in the longer fattening, where more of voluminous coarse fodder is given, 

 than of the nutritious, the period reaches to 6 or 8 months. In the first and second 

 period, the fattening cattle gain the most flesh ; in the third the most fat. and grow 

 better, especially as to the flesh. Very fat animals, therefore, towards the end of this 

 period, may show no increase of weight on the scales, but yet with stronger appe- 

 tite to consume their fodder, stand in a profitable condition, on account of bettering 

 the quality of the flesh and fat. Whether the half (to the middle and end of the 

 second period of fattening,) or the whole fattening, be the most profitable, depends 

 especially on the state of the market, and on the quality and quantity of the materials 

 of fodder provided." 



As to the amount of fodder consumed, the following table may be taken as a 

 specimen of many furnished by Veit : — 



PERIODS OF FATTENING. 



