72 



FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



blood, and middlings broke at about 500 lbs. — a difference of 32 per ct. 

 in favor of the rations rich in protein and mineral matter. The pigs 

 given the protein-rich feeds had nearly 30 per ct. more blood for 

 each 100 lbs. of carcass than those fed corn alone, and their livers, 

 kidneys, and tenderloin muscles were also larger, showing that a supe- 

 rior muscular development was associated with the larger internal 

 organs, more blood, etc. The carcasses of the corn-fed pigs, on the 

 other hand, contained a greater proportion of fat. 



Pig. 20. — Pigs Fed Corn Alone Do Not Develop Normal Carcasses 



Upper row, cross sections of carcasses of pigs fed for lean; i. e., on well-bal- 

 anced ration, by the senior author at the Wisconsin Station. Left, section at 

 shoulder; middle, section between fifth and sixth ribs; right, section at loins. 

 Lower row, carcasses of pigs fed corn alone. Note larger size of muscles of pigs 

 fed well-balanced ration. 



These experiments show the plastic nature of the bodies of young, 

 growing animals. Immature animals living on such unsuitable food 

 may survive for a long time, but they develop bodies that are dwarfed 

 in size and made unnaturally fat. Nature's plan is first to grow the 

 body framework and afterwards to lay on the fat, if food be abundant. 

 The experiments point to the reasonable, important, and far-reaching 

 conclusion that if a pig or other young animal is improperly fed so as 

 to injure its bones, muscles, and vital organs even a very little, and 



