MANUAL OF CATTLE-FJSEBIJTG. 155 



under some circumstances, be readied by a ration, having a 

 rather narrow imtiitive ratio and producing a tapid gain 

 of flesh, even at the expense of an increased protein eon- 

 sumption; while, under other circumstances, a wider 

 nutritive ratio and a slower and more economical produc- 

 tion mio-ht be more remunerative. Extremes in either 

 direction, however, are likely to be unprofitable. 



Carbhydrates may cause a long-continued G-ain of 

 Flesh. — ^We saw in the previous section that a fodder of 

 protein and fat could, under proper conditions, cause a 

 long-continued gain of flesh, while the gain caused by an 

 increase of the protein of the food was usually only tem- 

 porary. The same fact is true of feeding with protein 

 and carbhydrates. 



It is to be remembered, however, that the fodder of our 

 domestic animals always contains considerable quantities 

 of carbhydrates, and that, consequently, ii.e effects of a 

 change from one method of feeding to another are not so 

 sharply manifested as in the carnivora. To this is to be 

 added that the digestive process lasts a considerable time 

 in the herbivora, so tliat remnants of the old fodder may 

 be resorbed along with the first portions of the new, and 

 thus the change of fodder be made in realitj^ a gradual one. 



In general the gain of flesh produced by a ration con- 

 taining much carbhydrates continues for a considerable 

 length of time, while that caused by a ration poor in these 

 substances but rich in protein, although it may be greater 

 at first, does not continue as long. 



For example, in the experiments of Euhn & Fleischer 

 on cows (p. 14^) the addition of protein to a ration con- 

 taining much carbhydrates caused a gain of flesh which 

 continued with but httle decrease throughout the experi- 

 ment and would doubtless have lasted some time longer, a 



