Relation of Food to Character of Growth 327 



wheat bran, the nutritive ratios being respectively 1:5.2 

 and 1:9.7. One animal from each lot was killed at the 

 end of seventeen months of feeding and the others at 

 the end of twenty -seven months, the entire bodies of 

 the four steers, exclusive of the skins, being analyzed. 

 It was found that the composition of the several ani- 

 mals did not differ materially. The amount of growth 

 was at first more rapid with the more nitrogenous 

 ration, but the kind of growth appeared to have been 

 controlled by the somewhat fixed constitutional habits 

 of the breed. Nevertheless, the evidence of all well- 

 conducted experiments and of all experience is unani- 

 mous in emphasizing the necessity of supplying in the 

 food of young animals an abundance of those nutrients 

 which are needed for the building of bone and muscle. 

 A satisfactory development of the organism at maturity 

 is insured only when the early growth is liberal and 

 uniform, and is such as to produce strong bone and a 

 vigorous muscular system. More than this, there is 

 induced by proper nourishment a lively temperament 

 or energy of body that may be called vital force, which 

 chemical analysis cannot search out or measure, but 

 which gives the chief value to certain classes of ani- 

 mals and is desirable in all. It is believed that this 

 condition of strong vitality is promoted by a liberal 

 supply of the proteids in the food. 



In considering the feeding of young animals, we 

 recognize the mother's milk as in general supplying 

 the necessary nutrients in the best forms and propor- 

 tions. It is true in the case of cows that the very 

 rich milk of the butter breeds when generously fed 



