CHAPTEE VL 



FEBDINa GBOWING- ANIMALS. 

 1 1. Geotieal Laws of the Nutbitiok op Yoitng Ajnimals. 



That there are great differences between tlie nutritive 

 processes in mature animals and those taking place in 

 young individuals is evident to the most casual observa- 

 tion. While in the former case the food consumed is 

 nearly all used to keep up the vital processes, and, under 

 the most favorable circumstances, only a comparatively 

 small fraction of it can be diverted to purposes of produc- 

 tion, in the young animal a large portion of the food eaten 

 is directed to productive purposes, viz., the growth of the 

 muscles, bones, and other tissues. 



But while these differences have been recognized, they 

 have not yet been made the subject of much scientific 

 study, and hence much of the necessary groundwork of a 

 rational feeding of young animals is still lacking, and we 

 are obliged to proceed on uncertain deductions from our 

 knowledge of the nutritive processes in mature animals, 

 combined with the results of' practical experience. 



Among the few accurate experiments on this subject are 

 those of Soxhlet, in Vienna, upon the nutrition of young 

 calves,'^ and this section is based essentially on his results. 



* Biedermann's Central-Blatt fur Agr. Chem. Jahrg. VII., 748 and 



887. 



