Miscellaneous Studies — Nutrition Problems. 91 



The table shows that during the first 17 months the steer on the 

 narrow ration gained 185 lbs. more than the other on the wider 

 one and that a given gain was made on less feed. The carcasses 

 of both steers showed practically the same percentage of protein 

 or lean-meat tissue, while that of the one getting the narrow ra- 

 tion had more water and less fat and ash. Of the steers fed 27 

 months, the one on the wide ration made the larger total gain and 

 required less feed for 100 lbs. of gain. The water, protein, and 

 ash in the bodies of these 2 steers were practically the samp. Thus 

 it appears that when there is fed a ration as wide as 1 : 9.7, pro- 

 vided it contains sufficient crude protein for the demands of the 

 body, the animal fed thereon will conserve and utilize the nutri- 

 ents in such manner as to make economically a normal growth 

 in all particulars. Giving an excess of protein does not lead to 

 any material increase in the size or weight of the muscular tissues, 

 but rather to a storage of somewhat less fat and more water, espe- 

 cially with young animals. 



From these and other data we may conclude that rations hav- 

 ing a narrow nutritive ratio are conducive to the rapid growth and 

 fine general appearance of the youag, growing animal. On the 

 other hand, when the body is partly or largely grown, the largest 

 gains, which are then mostly fat, come from liberal feeding with 

 rations which are rich in digestible carbohydrates and rather lim- 

 ited in crude protein — in other words, having a comparatively wide 

 nutritive ratio. 



115. Exclusive com feeding.— In 1884 Sanborn of the Missouri 

 Agricultural College^ conducted studies in which growing pigs fed 

 exclusively on corn meal were compared with others fed on corn 

 meal and either wheat middlings or dried blood. The corn-meal 

 ration furnished an abundance of easily digested carbohydrates and 

 fat, but was deficient in crude protein and mineral matter. The 

 addition of dried blood or wheat middlings to corn meal formed a 

 ration rich in crude protein and mineral matter as well as carbo- 

 hydrates and fat. Sanborn showed that, compared with the corn- 

 fed pigs, those getting rations rich in crude protein had a larger 

 muscular development and more blood, and that some of their in- 

 ternal organs were larger. 



Realizing the fundamental importance of Sanborn's studies, the 

 author conducted numerous trials at the Wisconsin Station- in 

 which dried blood, wheat middlings, field peas, and skim milk, with 



iBuls. 10, 14, 19. =Epts. 1886, '87, '88, '89. 



