FINISHING CATTLE IN THE STALL OR SHED I43 



fodder and corn ensilage when these are fed; (4) the 

 wide difference which the accompanying fodders exert 

 on the fattening; (5) the necessity that may exist for 

 slow or rapid fattening. It is evident, therefore, that it 

 is impossible to formulate hafd and fast rules as to the 

 amounts of grain that shall best suit each case. In practice 

 the amount of grain fed to each animal daily is from 6 to 

 10 pounds in Scotland, when large quantities of roots 

 are fed, to 28 pounds of shelled corn daily in the corn 

 belt, when swine glean among the droppings. Where 

 clover and alfalfa are fed along with grain, amounts of 

 the latter as small as those fed in Scotland will usually 

 suffice. 



The following statements will serve as approx- 

 imately correct guides with reference to finishing cattle : 

 (i) Because of the greater relative cost of the concen- 

 trates, the aim should be to utilize coarse foods to the 

 greatest extent consistent with desirable resultant gains. 

 (2) That, because of the considerable cost of food used 

 for maintenance, the aim should be to finish the animals 

 as rapidly as is consistent with economical feeding. (3) 

 The feeding of concentrates should never be carried to 

 the extent of disturbing the digestion. The indications 

 of disturbed digestion are a condition of the faeces which 

 is not normal, and a pronounced loss of appetite in the 

 animals. A skilled feeder can judge with much accuracy 

 the degree to which the grain fed is being utilized by 

 the fasces. When these are unduly hard or soft, 

 when particles of undigested meal appear in them, 

 and when offensive odors arise from them, he knows 

 that the digestion is disturbed. When the appetite ma- 

 terially lessens, he knows that the disturbance is more 

 serious. When such indications appear, less grain 

 should be fed. (See page 161.) 



Usually when animals are first put upon feed, the 

 amount of concentrates fed does not exceed 2 to 6 

 pounds daily. After the preliminary period of feeding 



