370 MANUAL OF CATTLE-FJ^EBmO. 



Furtliermore, it is plain that a single feeding standard 

 cannot possibly take account of all the varying condirions 

 that arifoe in practice. For the maintenance of full-grown 

 animals it is pobsible to give tolerably exact feeding fotand- 

 ards, but for ptirposes of production it is obvious that an 

 important factor in determining tlie character of the feed- 

 ing is the amount of production which is desired, this again 

 being determined by jSnancial considerations. As a general 

 rule, a rapid and abundant production is relatively more ex- 

 pensive than a smaller and slower one, and is profitable only 

 when the price of the products is correspondingly high. 



Moreover, different breeds, and even different animals of 

 the same breed, show differences in their capacity for pro- 

 duction and hi the return which they yield fur a gi^ en 

 expenditure of fodder. 



Under these circumstances the office of a feeding standard 

 is to show what amount and quality of food ib in gem nil 

 best adapted to the end in view, while the conditions o£ 

 the individual case must determine how far and in what 

 way it is to be modified. An unvitelligent use of feeding 

 standards is quite as likely to result in failure as in suc- 

 cess ; but when combined with practical judgment and 

 observation, and knowledge of the laws of animal nutri- 

 tion, they are capable of rendering important aid to the 

 feeder. 



In the following chapters we shall take up the chief ob- 

 jects of feeding and consider briefly the application to 

 them of the general laws of animal nutrition which formed 

 the subject-matter of Part I., indicating under oacli head 

 the quantities of the several nutrients (i ^., the feeding 

 standard) which the experience thus far had shows to be, 

 on the whole, adapted to produce the best results at the 

 least expense of fodder. 



