MAKUAL OF CATTLE-FEEDIXG. 



441 



laorganie Nutrients. — In one experiment tlie con- 

 sumption and excretion of the mineral ingredients were 

 determined. Tlie results on an animal weighing 151.2 lbs. 

 were the following : 





Consumed. 

 Grnib. 



m aruiG and 

 dvmg 

 Gnns. 



Retained. 





Grms 



Per cent. 



Total ash 



81 34 

 25 34 



8 85 

 19.13 



1.80 

 20.70 



5.57 



0.15 



37 20 

 6 53 

 8.30 

 38 

 1.08 



15.58 

 4.16 

 0.10 



44.14 



IS 81 



55 



18 75 



72 

 4.49 



1 41 

 0.05 



54 30 



Phosplioric acid 



Cbloriiie 



74.23 

 6 22 



Lime 



Magnesia 



98.00 



40 00 



Potash 



23 37 



Soda 



Iron 



25.31 

 33 33 







The large amounts of lime and phosphoric acid retained 

 in the body are specially noteworthy. These substances 

 are the chief inorganic ingredients of bone, and their almost 

 entire retention, particularly that of the lime, in the above 

 experiment, indicates the importance of an abundant sup- 

 ply of these ingredients in the food of growing animals. 



Soxhlet remarks that it would seem that the milk of 

 our cattle is so poor in lime that it contains barely enough 

 to supply the wants of the young animal, and that it may 

 be advisable to help out the supply by the addition of 

 chalk (carbonate of lime). This would answer the pur- 

 pose of supplying material for bone-building as well as the 

 more costly phosphate of lime, since, according to the 

 above results, a lack of phosphoric acid is not to be feared. 

 19* 



