,98 



FIRST CLASS OF THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 



and producps the most sensible eff*3ts, upon herbivorous animals. Animals feeding 

 exclusively wpon flesh are much less liable to be influenced by their food than by 

 climate, and the several other circumstances, whether favorable or unfavorable, of 

 the situation in which they are placed. 



It is chiefly by a proper selection of their food, that we can succeed in rendering 

 animals, when domesticated, more fruitful than they would naturally have been. By 

 the same means, their flesh can also be rendered more tender, savoury, and delicate. 

 It is more especially during the early periods of their youth, that an abundant and 

 well chosen food is deserving of the highest attention, for the slightest negligence in 

 this respect may produce unfavorable consequences upon their general health, whilst, 

 by an opposite course, we may even succeed, to a certain extent, in correcting an 

 original and constitutional weakness, accelerate the period of puberty, or promote 

 their growth as well as strength. It is even possible, by taking advantage of acci- 

 dental connate varieties, to perpetuate new races of great value, and render them 

 capable of transmitting these properties undiminished in utility to their posterity. 

 These facts are not always attended to by rural economists, nor is a sufficient degree 

 of attention paid to the kind of food given to young animals. This exercises an im- 

 portant influence over their physical and intelligent dispositions, and an undue parsi- 

 mony in the distribution of their food, or an injudicious choice in its quality, may be 

 regarded as the vice of a false economy, which deteriorates the qualities of the most 

 valuable species or races, either by diminishing their fecundity, or preventing the 

 development of their most valuable qualities. It is an admitted fact, that, in early 

 life, the preponderating function is that of nutrition, while in the adult the reproduc- 

 tive function prevails. Considerable differences in the height and proportions of in- 

 dividuals are induced by the abundance, the nature, and the quality of their food ; 

 and it is to a superiority in these respects, that the domestic animals are generally 

 larger and more prolific than the same wild species, which are not so well nourished. 

 It may be useful to practical economists to know, that, in general, small animals 

 eat more in proportion to their size than large ones ; and for the same reason their 

 vital energy is greater. 



The quantity of food necessary to the maintenance of the domestic animals, is in 

 the direct ratio of the loss of substance which they experience from various causes. 

 For this reason, all those which labour much, and all species naturally exposed to 

 violent exercise, stand in need of food in proportion to the degree in which their 

 muscular strength is exerted. All animals whose movements are slow, and labour 

 light, require but little food, as their loss of force is inconsiderable ; and those, again, 

 who pass their winter in a state of torpidity, may remain for a very long time with- 

 out food, as their loss of strength during this time is still less. An elevated tempera- 

 ture, by diminishing the force of the digestive organs, and by moderating the move- 

 ments of the body, renders less food necessary than a low temperature. Hence, we 

 may diminish their allowances, with propriety, during the warmest seasons of the 

 year. 



It has already been noticed, that the distinction commonly made between herbi- 

 vorous and carnivorous animals is by no means constant. This fact has been advan- 

 tageously applied by rural economists in various ways. Thus the young of herbivo- 

 rous animals, shortly after their birth, are frequently supplied, when very feeble, 

 with fresh eggs. The same nutritious food is likewise given occasionally aux etalons 

 avant la monte, and, it has been stated, with beneficial results ; likewise, also, to race- 

 horses, with marked success. 



We are assured by M. Yvaifc that, in Auvergne, fat soups are given to cattle, 

 especially when sick or enfeebled, for the purpose of invigorating them. The same 

 practice is observed in some parts of North America, where the country-people mix, 

 in winter, fat broth with the vegetables given to their cattle, in order to render them 

 more capable of resisting the severity of the Tveather. These broths have long been 

 considered efficacious by the veterinary practitioners of our own country, in restoring 

 Horses which had been enfeebled through long illness. It is said by Peall to be a 

 common practice in some parts of India, to mix animal substances with the grain 

 given to feeble horses, and to boil the mixture into a sort of paste, which soon 

 brings them into good condition, "and restores their vigour. Pallas tells us that the 

 Russian boors make use of the dried flesh of the Hamster reduced to powder, and 

 mixed with oats ; that this occasions their Horses to acquire a sudden and extraordi- 

 nary degree of emhonpoinf. Anderson relates, in his History of Iceland, that the 

 inhabitants feed their Horses with dried fishes when the cold is very intense ; and 

 that these animals are extremely vigorous, although small. We also know that in 

 the Feroe Islands, the Orkneys, the We&tern Islands, and in Norway, where the cli- 

 mate is still very cold, this practice is also adopted ; and it is not uncommon even in 

 some very warm countries, ai in the kingdom of Maskat, in Arabia FeUx, near the 

 Straits of Ormuz, one of the most fertile parts of Arabia. Fish and other animal 

 substances are there given to Horses in the cold season, as well as in times of scar- 

 city. 



The milk of Cows, fed in this manner, has a. disagreeable flavour, while the flesh 

 of such animals as are killed for the table is not pleasant. In general it acquires the 

 flavour, whether good or bad, of the substances on which the animals had been nou- 

 rished, and for this purpose, therefore, vegetable substances are always preferable. 

 Thus, the flesh of the Carnassiers, whether true Carnivora, or merely Insectivora, of 

 Ant-eaters, &c., is disgusting; and in the same manner, the flesh of Birds is always 

 agreeable in proportion as they feed more exclusively upon vegetables. Animal sub- 

 stances being easily susceptible of putrefaction, impart to the flesh of those which are 

 fed upon them an a;kaline and ammoniacal odour. The corrupt Fish, sometimes given 

 to the domestic animals of the North, contributes greatly to their inferiority ; and it 

 IS well known that Fish in general imparts less muscular vigour and energy than the 

 flesh of Quadrupeds. 



The habitual use of animal food renders the herbivorous animals less docile, more 

 untractable, and even dangerous in some cases, as many facts have demonstrated. 

 Cases are quoted of Horses, fed in this manner, having devoured their own masters. 

 It is not probable that these animals could long exist on such a diet, without incon-, 

 Tenience, from their internal organization being greatly different from that of the 



carnivorous animals, especially in respect to the Ruminants. Still it is abandantly 

 demonstrated, that animal substances can be administered with advantage, especially 

 in cases of scarcity of their ordinary food, or of weakness, whilst the camivoroM 

 animals have an indispensable necessity of living upon flesh, in order to derive a 

 sufficient nourishment, and to maintain that kind of life for which Nature has iiH 

 tended them. 



The food given to the domestic animals may either be composed of entire and 

 unprepared substances, such as Nature spontaneously presents, or it may be divided 

 and prepared in various manners; while its good qualities are susceptible of "being 

 improved in several ways, according to the object which is had in view. It may 

 consist of plants either green or dried, whole or divided, moist or dry, raw or boiled, 

 fermented or the reverse, sweet or sour, plain or seasoned with different substances ; 

 and, according as it is given to them in these difl^erent states, the results obtained 

 are very different. 



The mechanical division of boiled food, whether green or dried, facilitates tb« 

 several acts of masticating, swallowing, and also of ruminating when it occurs ; hence, 

 by a necessary consequence, their digestion being more perfectly performed, an equal 

 weight of food becomes more profitable, and this mode of preparation should alwayi 

 be adopted, except when the food is consumed on the field. For this purpose seve- 

 ral useful instruments have been invented, such as turnip- cutting machines, chop- 

 pers, mills, and many others more or less ingenious, which divide quickly, economi- 

 cally, and completely, the difl'erent kinds of food, whether roots, seeds, or forage. 

 Every farmer who feels any interest in the improvement of his domestic animals, 

 should be provided with one or other of these instruments, and he will not fail, 

 sooner or later, to be completely indemnified for the additional expenses they may 

 occasion. 



Green food is in general more profitable to these animals, especially when it ii 

 intended to fatten them, than such as is either faded or dry ; for, independently of 

 the loss of nutritive principles which it experiences more or less while drying, it 

 is digested more easily, rapidly, and completely, in the former than in the latter 

 case. 



For the same reasons, food which has been moistened and softened after being 

 dried is usually more profitable than when given under a hard or dry form. Seeds 

 especially, when broken or reduced to flour, or even made into a paste or broth, axe 

 more quickly assimilated into the animal substance than when entire. Hence, they 

 are nearly every where reduced to a state of minute division before being given to 

 animals in course of fattening, and numerous experiments have clearly estabUshed 

 their comparative superiority over those which have not undergone this process. 



The boiling of their food, by performing or facilitating its division, is one of tb« 

 best means known of promoting digestion, and even of increasing the quantity ai 

 well as quality of the alimentary substances which undergo this process. 



This advantageous result appears to originate in part from the circumstance that 

 the molecules of the alimentary substance are separated by the coction which they 

 undergo, and thus present a greater surface to the influence of the gastric juice, and 

 partly from the influence of the water wherein they are immersed, as well as of tb* 

 high temperature to which they ai^e exposed, augmenting their nutritive powers. 

 The water seems actually to become solid as in the making of bread, by entering 

 into union with them, or by imparting its hydrogen, which afterwards becoming united 

 to carbon, may contribute towards the formation of fat. These facts have been es- 

 tablished by a great number of experiments made here and elsewhere, with roots, 

 grains, and even with raw and boiled hay or grass, used for fattening the domestic 

 animals. Potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, which, in their raw state, are either 

 cared for but little by the cattle, or unprofitable, acquire by boiling new properties 

 which render them extremely advantageous after having undergone this operation. 

 Indeed, the general practice of boiling the food cannot be too strongly recommended, 

 especially when the low price of fuel, and the other circumstances of the locality, allow 

 it to be performed conveniently and economically. It is also proper to administer it 

 to the cattle while still warm, if possible, for the reason that it appears to be more 

 agreeable to them when given in that state, and that it invigorates and refreshes them 

 more quickly than when allowed to cool after boiling. 



As a confirmation of the correctness of these views, regarding the superiority of 

 boiled over raw food in the fattening of cattle, we have only to consider for a mo- 

 ment what actually takes place every day before our eyes in respect to Man, We 

 here see how greatly substances which have been submitted to the action of heat, 

 such as bread, meat, soups, broths, and other articles, surpass those used in their 

 natural state. A small quantity of wheat, maize, barley, or rice, well boiled and 

 eaten warm with a little milk, gains in nutritive matter an immense superiority over 

 the same quantity of these substances, if eaten without this preparation. The same 

 remark is applicable to all kinds of grain. 



It may be noticed here, that the food intended for cattle can be conveniently and 

 economically boiled by steam, by putting it into a common barrel, cased with iron, 

 and having at its base a grating of the same metal, with the bars tolerably close. 

 After filling it with the roots Intended to be boiled, it is exposed to the vapour of 

 boiling water arising from a cauldron placed upon an economical furnace. This ar- 

 rangement permits the food to be boiled cheaply and in a very short time. Care 

 must, however, be taken that the base of the barrel fits accurately into the upper rim 

 of the cauldron, and that it has at its top a moveable cover so as to permit the roots 

 to be easily placed there and withdrawn. There must also be a small hole in tbt 

 cover to allow a part of the vapour to escape when it has reached the top. 



The addition of some coarse provender, such as chopped straw, to boiled roots, is 

 admitted to be advantageous ; probably because it renders the mastication of these 

 substances more complete, and serves also as a kind of ballast, which should always 

 bear a certain proportion to the nutriment, properly so called. 



Fermentation, which may be regarded as a sort of cooking afforded spontaneously 

 by Nature, adds greatly to the nutritive qualities of the substances which undergo 

 this process. It has long been recommended to allow the barley, intended to fatten 

 cattle, to germinate, and this may be regarded as the fii'st step in the process of far- 



