20 
REFLECTIONS ON OVER-FED ANIMALS, 
one ; and reflection will shew that this operates in a double degree 
or ratio beyond a certain point. The powers of animal life are 
capable of assimilation in a great degree : but there are limits to 
this as to every thing else ; and if the means of attaining fatness 
be carried beyond this natural medium point, a loss is inevitable. 
Thus, as an illustration ; if the weight of a lean animal be repre- 
sented by 10, and a given quantity of food be represented by 20, 
the result being a gain in weight of 5 — to 15, which may be taken 
as a medium, an addition of 20 of food w r ould not produce a fur- 
ther gain of 5, as in the first instance, but would give only an addi- 
tion dependent entirely on the power of the individual animal, the 
time in which the food having to be consumed being in each case the 
same; hence, all that portion of nutriment which could not be assimi- 
lated, as also the time occupied in the consumption of this latter 
portion of food, is double loss to the producer. All practical feeders 
know this fact ; but it is not acted on in the manner or to the ex- 
tent it deserves ; for, simple as it seems, its consequences on a large 
scale are most important. 
Early maturity is, again, a most desirable object, and every effort 
ought to be made to attain it ; for if an animal can be produced 
which shall arrive at a state of maturity, say at four years old, and 
another can be brought into a similar state at three years old, there 
is a gain to both consumer and producer of 1 in 4, or a relative 
proportion of 75,000 to 100,000. These are no idle chimeras, but 
practical facts, and which must rule and regulate the producer in 
his future proceedings. 
It may appear superfluous to urge these various points ; but not 
so when we see that Associations which were established with 
the laudable object of improving the breeds of our domestic ani- 
mals have in very truth outgrown themselves. Can any one at all 
acquainted with the cattle-shows of the last twenty years say that 
the last few are what they were, in the display of symmetry, or 
that there has been any gain in earlier maturity ? These points 
were at their maximum several years since. Size still remains 
the same ; but, alas ! where is the straight back, the square quar- 
ter, the deep thigh, the good chest 1 “ Echo answers, Where V* 
It is true, we now and then see splendid forms ; but these only 
shew that there are exceptions, and shadow forth the general de- 
generacy in the greater degree. The breeders’ adage, that “ fat 
covers a multitude of faults,” is too correct to be disputed; but if 
the faults before alluded to shew through the enormity of these 
mountains of fat, into what a state of degeneracy must the “ crack” 
stocks of our highly famed cattle have fallen. It is lamentable to 
reflect on : even the breeders of these stocks themselves are, at last, 
aware of the palpable degeneracy which, as professed judges, they 
