FINISHING CATTLli IN THE STALL OK SHED l6l 



the weather is constant, with judicious feeding, the 

 appetite will also be similarly constant and uniform. 

 But should there be a sudden rise in the temperature of 

 more than one or two days' continuance, the amount of 

 concentrates fed under high pressure feeding should be 

 lessened, lest the needs of a less keen appetite shall be 

 exceeded. The skilled feeder tries so to manage that 

 the animals will always take their food with a rehsh, 

 and this is more easily accomplished when the fluctua- 

 tions in winter temperatures are least frequent and in 

 degree least pronounced. 



6. Should an animal get " off feed," that is, should 

 the appetite be so weakened that any portion of the 

 usual allowance is left unconsumed, it is an indication 

 that the digestion is disturbed, and that, in consequence, 

 the amount of concentrates fed should be at once reduced 

 until the appetite becomes normal. Should the loathing 

 of food be such that any considerable proportion of the 

 concentrates is left unconsumed, it may be advisable to 

 withhold grain or meal altogether for a time. Such an 

 occurrence is unfortunate, as, in a considerable propor- 

 tion of such instances, the digestion never becomes quite 

 normal again. A condimental tonic will be helpful at 

 such times, but no treatment will avail unless the con- 

 centrate is withheld to that extent that may be necessary. 

 Such a condition may not be so readily detected when 

 animals consume the concentrate from the same feed 

 box, but a watchful feeder will soon discover an animal 

 thus affected. When the discovery is made it should be 

 at once removed to admit of its being properly dealt with. 

 But the exercise which such animals take tends to lessen 

 materially the liability to get off feed. 



7. When the animals cease to make good increase, 

 the aim should be to market them. Fattening cattle 

 without increase is very expensive, and the older and 

 heavier they are, the greater is the loss. It does not 

 follow, however, that the returns from such feeding are 



