CHAPTER VIIL 



RELATION OF FOOD TO ANIMAL REQUIREMENTS. 



The Requirements of the Young Animal. — Composition of colostruni and 

 milk — Suitable albuminoid ratio of the food. Tlie Adult Animal. — 

 "Work, how performed — Maintenance diets — Labour diet. The Fat- 

 tening Animal. — Conditions necessary for increase — Eesults obtained 

 when fattening oxen, sheep, and pigs, on ordinary diets — Alterations 

 in consumption of food, and rate of increase, as fattening proceeds — 

 Albuminoid ratios for fattening animals. Production of Wool. — Com- 

 position of wool — Influence of diet. Production of Milk. — In- 

 fluence of diet on the quantity and quality of the milk — Influence on 

 the character of the butter — Albuminoid ratio for milk-cows. 



The Young Growing Animal. — The special character 

 of the nutrition of young animals is the rapid formation 

 of nitrogenous tissue and bone, for which purpose an 

 abundant supply of albuminoids and ash constituents in 

 the food is clearly requisite. 



The kind of food most appropriate to the wants of a 

 young animal is shown by the composition of milk. The 

 milk supplied to the young immediately after birth (the 

 colostrum) is of a very concentrated description. During 

 the first week after birth the quantity of the milk greatly 

 increases, and its composition gradually alters from that 

 of colostrum to that of ordinary milk. 



In the following table will be found the composition of 

 the colostrum and milk yielded by various farm animals ; 

 the numbers given are the mean of many analyses. 



