428 THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



of the product is higher with the latter, that is, the pro- 

 portion of valuable parts is greater and the distribution of 

 fat and lean tissue is more desirable, in the distinctly 

 beef animal. 



A choice from the beef and mutton types and from 

 the various breeds of swine may safely be left to personal 

 preference. Many experiments have been conducted 

 with a view of determining the relative capacity of 

 growth of the prominent breeds of bovines, sheep, 

 and swine, and the testimony so far adduced is of a 

 negative character and does not point to any one 

 breed of any species as clearly superior to all others. 

 It is well imderstood, however, that within eveiy 

 breed individual variations are important and that 

 from a "bunch" of steers it is possible to select some 

 animals superior to the others in their capacity to make 

 profitable use of food. 



515. Relation of age to meat production. — ^A most 

 important factor in this connection is the relation of age 

 to the profits of meat production. Nothing has been more 

 fully established by experimental evidence than that the 

 younger the animals the larger the ratio of increase to 

 body weight and the greater the increase for each imit of 

 food consumed. 



Some of the more striking evidence on these points 

 is presented in the following figxires: 



Table XCI 



Results with steers from five breeds slaughtered at the SmUhfiM 



{England) Fat-Stock Show (from Henry's compilation) 



Age Number animalB Daily gain 



One year old 77 2. lbs. 



' Two years old 89 1.76 " 



Three years old 54 1.58 " 



