52 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



ments not to increase their digestibility 

 with the possible exception of potatoes 

 and some other roots for hogs. If, how- 

 ever, any of these practices make the 

 rations more palatable and thus induce 

 the animals to eat larger amounts, then 

 they have their place in the preparation 

 of feeds, but not because they favor di- 

 gestibility. 



Grinding grains appears to increase 

 their digestibility from 3 to 10 per cent. 

 It is of most value with horses and 

 swine and of least importance with 

 sheep. Of course old animals with such 

 poor teeth that they cannot grind up 

 the grain efficiently should be fed ground 

 grains. Grinding, however, adds to the 

 cost of the grain. If the cost is in- 

 creased 10 per cent of the value of the 



are fed with a highly nitrogenous feed, 

 amounts even greater than 15 per cent 

 may be fed without injuriously affecting 

 the digestibility of the ration. 



Kindness must be mentioned as a 

 factor of importance in influencing di- 

 gestion favorably. Fright of any kind 

 checks the flow of juices of the salivary 

 and other glands supplying digestive 

 juices. The milk flow of cows is uni- 

 formly decreased by fright as has been 

 proved by trials at a number of the ex- 

 periment stations. The contented ani- 

 mal eats more food and makes better 

 use of it in the production of meat and 

 other animal products than the animal 

 that eats in fear. There is no doubt but 

 that the success of many feeders is due 

 in a large measure to the confidence they 



grain, the practice is of doubtful econ- 

 omy. All grains and grain by-products 

 are more easily digested than roughages. 

 Miscellaneous factors, such as work ; 

 amount of food eaten, whether great or 

 small ; f requency of feeding ; watering, 

 whether before or after feeding; or the 

 consumption of large quantities of salt, 

 in experiments thus far reported do not 

 show any marked effect on digestion and 

 may be assumed for practical purposes 

 to be without influence on this factor. 

 When pure starch or sugar constitutes 

 as much as 10 per cent of the dry matter 

 of the ration, they have a depressing in- 

 fluence on digestibility, especially of the 

 protein and fiber. When the dry matter 

 of roots and potatoes constitutes more 

 than 15 per cent of the ration, digesti- 

 bility is decreased. If, however, they 



inspire in their flocks and herds by their 

 uniform gentleness and kindness in 

 handling and caring for them. 



THE PRODUCTION OF FLESH 



Animals fed normally grow from birth 

 to maturity increasing in weight and 

 developing their bones and muscles. 

 What constituents of feeding stuffs are 

 essential to this growth? We know that 

 the muscles, blood, tendons, hair, skin, 

 nerves, brain and all the tisues of the 

 body contain nitrogen. The only con- 

 stituent of feeding stuffs that contains 

 nitrogen is the protein. Protein is, 

 therefore, absolutely essential to grow- 

 ing animals. Is protein also necessary 

 for mature animals that have made their 

 full growth ? 



When the urine of animals is ana- 

 lyzed nitrogen is always found in it. 



