264 FEEDING ANIMALS. 



With a view to furnishing data for the solution of this 

 question, he gives this last table relating to the well-fed 

 animals of several countries, including some at the Chicago 

 Fat-Stock Show. He says, in reference to this table : 



" Confining my attention to cattle, I shall first endeavor 

 to show, by reference to published records relating to ani- 

 mals of certainly above average quality, and undoubtedly 

 liberally fed, what is the probable rate of increase that 

 may be expected in such cases ; and, secondly, what is the 

 average amount of food required to produce a given amount 

 of increase." 



He complains that feeding experiments have not been 

 so full as to give all the points required to solve the 

 question of cost. The food or some other element in the 

 calculation is left out. As everything relating to this 

 question is of interest to the feeder, we quote what he says 

 of the food required to produce 100 Ibs. of increase : 



"Although the gross increase is less in proportion to the 

 live weight as the animal matures, a larger proportion of 

 such gross increase consists of carcass and of real solid 

 matter, and a less proportion of offal and of water. In 

 fact, the fattening process may be said to consist in great 

 measure in the displacement of water by fat. At what cost 

 of food has that increase been obtained ? We have no rec- 

 ords on this point in regard to any of the animals referred 

 to in the table. We must therefore rely upon other data 

 in arriving at a decision on this part of the subject. Our 

 own estimate, founded on all the data at our command, 

 partly relating to the recorded experience of others, and 

 partly to the results of direct experiments of our own, led 

 us many years ago to conclude as follows : Fattening oxen, 

 liberally fed upon good food, composed of a moderate pro- 

 portion of cake or corn, some hay or straw chaff, with 

 roots or other succulent food, and well managed, will, on 

 the average, consume 12 to 13 Ibs. of dry substance of such 



