124 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



After the animals have been on this diet for some time 

 and fat is being stored up, the albuminoid ratio is raised by 

 the addition of proteid. No destruction of fat will result 

 from this extra proteid > on the other hand it will be stored 

 up as fat. 



So much for the theory of fattening, we must now con- 

 sider its practice. 



Though the details of fattening oxen and sheep differ 

 widely in the hands of various farmers and graziers, yet 

 there is the most complete consensus of opinion that no 

 animals that have been starved or underfed during their 

 early growth ever fatten satisfactorily. They must not lose 

 their calf or lamb flesh if they are to fatten on a reasonable 

 amount of food, and put the fat on in the right place. The 

 deposition of fat in the internal organs is not what is 

 desired, but its distribution among the skeletal muscles. 



Nothing must interfere with the fattening process once it 

 has begun. If the food supply be insufficient even for a 

 day, it will take three times as long to repair the damage 

 done. 



The practice of fattening varies with the condition of the 

 animal, the nature of available pasture, the part of the 

 country, and the prejudice of the feeder. 



When a man breeds and fattens his own stock the 

 measures are not quite the same as when he goes into the 

 market and buys ' store ' cattle. The latter are poor, those 

 of his own rearing if judiciously managed have never lost 

 condition, but have gone on gradually accumulating flesh. 



It would be most unwise to treat these two classes as 

 identical for fattening purposes ; the animals in better 

 condition can stand a richer pasture and more nutritious 

 feeding than the impoverished ' stores.' 



The available pasture may be first-class fattening land or 

 only average. It would be an act of folly to at once bring 

 poor cattle on to rich pastures, depending on his land 

 the judicious grazier buys animals the condition of which 

 warrants them going on good pasture or the reverse, and 

 he gradually brings them on. 



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