93 



It is a well established law that all classes of stock should 

 be watered regularly and should have an abundant supply, but 

 this is especially important for animals which are under the 

 strain of rapid production, such as the highly developed dairy 

 cow when in full flow of milk, and the growing or fattening 

 steer when on full feed and producing to its utmost capacity. 

 A steer on full feed in one of our experiments* voided in its 

 dung and urine daily per thousand pounds live weight 32 

 pounds of water, as compared with 13 pounds as the averaging 

 voiding of two other steers of the same weight that were fed 

 only a sufficient amount to maintain body weight without gain 

 or loss, the character 'of the ration being exactly the same in 

 both cases. To restrict the amount of water drunk by the steers 

 and hogs, either by its location being remote from the feeding 

 troughs and pastures, by reason of its irregular or inadequate 

 supply, by reason of inadequate trough room, by reason of its 

 filthy condition and uninviting surroundings, is to directly re- 

 strict the gains and to reduce the profits of the feeding opera- 

 tion. Wherever at all feasible, a constant supply of deep-well 

 water, freshly pumped, in troughs of adequate size, should be 

 provided in a locality convenient to the feed troughs, conven- 

 ient to the ranges, and at a point where the droppings that 

 naturally accumulate in the vicinity of the watering trough 

 will be of value to the farm rather than be washed away by the 

 first rains that come after they are deposited. 



*Not yet published. 



