The Animal Body. 



211 



Fattening an animal increases the proportion of butcher's 

 meat while at the same time it materially modifies its composition. 

 Jordan gives the proportion of dressed carcass in per cent as 

 follows : 



Ox Sheep Swine 



Lean animal 47 45 73 



Fat animal 60 53 82 



The composition of the increase of an animal varies much un- 

 der different circumstances. The increase of a young growing 

 animal will contain much water, protein and ash ; that of a ma- 

 ture fattening animal will consist chiefly of fat. From this it 

 follows that a larger proportion of protein and ash is needed 

 luring the earlier periods of growth ; but, because of the larger 

 proportion of water, a smaller amount of food is required to 

 produce one pound of gain. 



The composition of the increase of oxen, sheep and pigs, when 

 passing from the " store" to the "fat" condition has been cal- 

 culated by Lawes and Gilbert. 



Percentage Composition of the Increase While Fattening. 



The increase during the fattening stage of growth is seen to 

 Britain 8 to 9 parts of fat for one of nitrogenous matter. 



Important parts of the animal body. Blood consists of a 

 ;.io lor less liquid plasma holding in suspension numerous small 

 polid bodies, the red and white corpuscles. The red corpuscles 

 |give the blood its characteristic color. These corpuscles have a 

 Definite structure and make up 30 to 40 per cent of the blood. 



