SHELTER. 299 



site amount of shelter for cattle the purpose 

 for which the stock are kept. If they are mar- 

 ket cattle in course of fattening for the sham- 

 bles the great consideration is, How can they be 

 kept and fattened so as to attain a maximum 

 weight at a minimum cost? this cost being 

 resolvable into three elements: length of time 

 which they are kept, amount and character of 

 food which they consume, and value of land 

 and buildings which they occupy while being 

 fed. If, on the other hand, they are breeding 

 cattle, there are other considerations of equal 

 importance with that of maintaining the cattle 

 in average condition, which is the most obvious 

 and often the only consideration recognized by 

 the owner. The general health of the animals 

 has to be considered from the standpoint of 

 securing from them the best calves at the least 

 cost of drain on their systems; and secondly, of 

 maintaining in the breed a maximum of vigor. 

 This latter consideration is too often over- 

 looked, and the former not infrequently. Let 

 me illustrate. 



Ease, comfort and luxury, it is now well un- 

 derstood among men, while in the first place 

 conducing to produce a sense of content that 

 has the specious appearance of the painless un- 

 consciousness of body which is the concomitant 

 of perfect health, nevertheless rapidly enervates 

 and lead to a lassitude which invites disease. 



