Comparative Fattening Qualities of Sheep. 419 



In a former paper on Sheep-feeding-, in this Journal, we par- 

 ticularly directed attention to the great variation in the rate of 

 increase in the same animal at different periods^ and also of dif- 

 ferent animals on the same food, however carefully selected with 

 regard to quality and uniformity. It is, perhaps, seldom that 

 animals have been dra\yn for purposes of experiment with more 

 care than in the instances of which the foregoing tables record 

 the results, yet we have scarcely a sheep in either breed which does 

 not give twice, thrice, or more times as great an increase in gross 

 live weight at one period, as at another of equal length ; whilst, 

 taking the entire period of the experiment, w^e have nearly double 

 the increase with some animals as with others by their side, and 

 having ostensibly the same description and qualities of food 

 provided. 



The variation in the apparent rate of gain of the same animal 

 at different times, is largely due to the difference in the amounts of 

 the matters of the food retained within the animal at the different 

 times of weighing, and to obviate error from this cause we have 

 only to extend our experiments over a sufficient length of time, 

 and to be careful, as far as possible, always to weigh the animals 

 at the same period of the day, and under similar circumstances as 

 regards their hours of feeding. 



With respect to the difference of result shown by different 

 animals, having professedly the same allowance of food, much of 

 it is doubtless due to distinct constitutional tendency to fatten or 

 otherwise ; yet in some cases it no doubt depends upon a real 

 difference in the food consumed by individual animals, for it is 

 impossible to secure for each its due share of the several foods 

 supplied ; and wherever there are many anim.als kept and fed 

 together, there are ahvays some who exercise a kind of mastery 

 over the rest, and if they do not eat more food altogether than is 

 allotted to them, they will at least take more of the best of it than 

 is their share, and thus reduce the fair allowance to all the rest. 

 ^ By this cause, indeed, it is not improbable that the proper feeding 

 and increase of some animals well adapted for it may be pre- 

 vented ; though in so far as these differences are really due to the 

 quantities of food consumed by different individuals, it is obvious 

 that the true relation of food to increase will be less misstated by 

 the gross numerical results of feeding experiments, than would 

 be the case were the irregularities entirely owing to varying con- 

 stitutional capabilities of the different animals to grow or fatten 

 upon the same food. 



But whatever be the causes of these variations, the figures in 

 the tables show that, notwithstmding the careful selection of the 

 animals, we have among the Hampshire sheep a difference in 

 their average weekly gain of from about 3f lbs. to litile more 



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