HOLSTEIN CATTLE. 55 



for the fact stated, that a Holstein cow, which was so large, 

 would not consume materially more food than these other 

 animals. I do not mean weight for weight, but the animals 

 themselves. This testimony we have had repeatedly ; and, 

 as I say, I asked Mr. Houghton if he could account for it. 

 He said that from his information and observation he was 

 decidedly of the opinion that the Holstein cattle had the 

 power of greater assimilation of nutrition from the food 

 they consumed. If that is the case, which observation seems 

 to prove, it is one of the most remarkable and valuable 

 features of the breed that has been developed, and it seems 

 to me that that must be so. I remember visiting: Mr. 

 Chenery's stock at Belmont, the first importation, and the bulls 

 there seemed to me very large. I said to the man who had 

 them in charge, " You have got some very fine animals here 

 apparently, and the amount of milk thatj^ou say those animals 

 give" (he pointed to several) " is enormous ; but," said I, 

 " the amount of food that those animals consume must be in 

 proportion to that great amount of milk." He told me then, 

 very much to my surprise, and I did not then believe it, that 

 those cows did not consume any more food than ordinary cows. 

 I supposed he was there to advertise his stock, and made the 

 statement for that purpose, and it did not have any effect 

 upon me ; but the evidence that has come to us from all 

 quarters with regard to this breed of cows is such that I 

 think we must take it as a fact that they do not require 

 very much more food than ordinary cows ; and this must 

 be the reason, that they have the power of greater assimila- 

 tion. Our veterinary surgeons ought to take hold of that 

 point, our Experiment Station should work upon it, because 

 it seems to me that it is a great matter for us to consider 

 and decide. 



All gentlemen who have had experience in feeding horses 

 have observed this, that of two horses of equal size, doing 

 the same work, one may require double the amount of grain 

 to keep him in condition. I have observed it, and I have an 

 illustration of it on my own farm at the present time. The 

 explanation of that must be that one animal has greater 

 power of assimilation of the food that it eats than another, 

 and that makes one animal very much more valuable than 



