MANUAL OF CATTLE-FEEBOTG-. 139 



tein o£ the food is converted into circulatory protein and 

 consumed. 



The Decrease of the Protein Consumption is no 

 greater -vrith. a large than v^ith a small Ration of 

 Alhuminoids, if tlie quantity of fat remains tlie same. 

 Tins, indeed^ follows fi'om the statements of the first 

 paiagi'aph. An increase of the albuminoids of the food 

 causes more circulatory protein to he formed, and, as a 

 consequence^ increases the consumption; and while the 

 latter is less than it would be without the fat, the difference 

 is not notably, if at all, greater than with the smaller 

 amount of albuminoids. 



The addition of the fat simply makes the consumption 

 of protein less tlimi it would be without it under ilie same 

 mrtumatmwm / but this comparatively small decrease may 

 sometimes make all flie difference between a continual loss 

 of flesh from the body and a state of equilibrium, or even 

 a gain of flesh, and thus may be a most important factor 

 in feeding, as illustrated in the experiments in the previous 

 paragraph. 



A dog weighing 33 kilogrammes (77 lbs,), when fed ex- 

 clusively on pure meat, needs about 1,500 grannnes daily 

 in order to remain in good condition and in equilibrium 

 as regards nitrogen* If, instead of this, he receives only 

 600 grammes, he loses, for a number of days, about 150 

 grammes daily of his own flesh ; and if, after a considera- 

 ble time, he comes into equilibrium with the smaller 

 ration, he is wasted away and in wretched condition. But 

 if, along with the 500 grammes of meat, about 200 

 grammes of fat be given, this loss of flesh is speedily 

 checked, and when the protein consumption has come 

 into equilibrium with the supply the animal remains in a 

 sound and well-nouiished condition. The addition of 200 



