316 PRINCIPLES OF FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



per day, it will have taken 12 pounds of feed to produce a 

 pound of gain ; while if he consumes 30 pounds of feed and 

 makes a gain of 3 pounds, it will have taken only 10 pounds 

 of feed to produce a pound of gain. Thus the animal hav- 

 ing the larger capacity can utilize the ration more efficiently, 

 as a larger proportion of the ration is available for produc- 

 tive purposes. In general, animals of small capacity are 

 expensive and inefficient machines for the transformation 

 of feed into meat or milk. 



The temperament of the animal has considerable in- 

 fluence upon the efficiency of the ration. Armsby ^ and 

 Fries have shown that the maintenance requirement of a 

 nervous, restless steer was 17 per cent greater than the 

 maintenance requirement of a quiet, phlegmatic steer of 

 the same age and weight. He found also that the mere 

 act of standing increased the maintenance requirement 20 

 per cent. Hence, fattening stock and dairy cows should 

 receive no more exercise than necessary for their general 

 health, and pains should be taken to remove all causes of 

 excitement from them, such as females in heat, vicious dogs, 

 etc. They should be well bedded in order to induce them 

 to lie down as much as possible. It is important from an 

 economic as well as from a humanitarian standpoint that 

 one should treat the farm animals with kindness. 



The previous treatment of the animal may have con- 

 siderable influence upon the efficiency. It is a matter of 

 common knowledge among stockmen that a steer which is 

 maintained through the winter on roughage alone will 

 make more efficient gains in the spring when put on pasture 

 than a steer which is given a more liberal ration through the 



1 Penn. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 105. 



