MAKUAL OF CATTLE-FEEDIE-G. 389 



maintenance in good condition, the case becomes dif- 

 ferent. From the numerous experiments in Weende, the 

 conclusion could be drawn that, although the growth of 

 the wool did not always suffer when the weight of the 

 animals decreased somewh(i% such a diminution w^as un- 

 avoidable if the decrease passed a certain limit. In one 

 such case, for example, the daily production of wool 

 amounted to only 0.237 per cent, of the shorn weight 

 against 0.292-0.306 per cent, with better food. 



It was also found that rations which. did not fully suiBce 

 to maintain the animals unaltered, produced less ill effect 

 on the growth of the \vool when they were comparatively 

 rich in protein, and that, other things being equal, the 

 ration which is the richer in protein is to be preferred. 

 The limits within which this is applicable in maintenance 

 feeding, have been already indicated. 



On the other hand, there appears to be a limit below 

 which a decrease in the fodder does not decrease the growth 

 of the wool. 



The most wool seems to be produced when the animals 

 are thoroughly well fed, but not fattened. If the daily ra- 

 tion be increased beyond what is necessary for this, no 

 effect is produced on the growth of wool, but if the ration 

 falls much below this minimum, the amount of wool also 

 falls, to a certain extent. The growth of the wool, how- 

 ever, is not directly dependent on the food, and will con- 

 tinue even in the absence of it or when it is small in 

 amount, and is only affected by it within the limits just 

 mentioned. 



This is well shown by some Hohenheim observations. 

 The sheep, at the beginning of the experiments, were in a 

 well-fed condition, and w^ere divided into five lots of six 

 head each. Two lots (III. and lY.) received a rather 



