584 ON MIXING SALT WITH THE FOOD OF CATTLE. 
This result, as well as the weights given in this paper, was 
ascertained by M. le Bel, who, during my absence from the farm, 
had the charge of the experiment. On the 11th of March, 1847, 
the following weights were obtained : — 
Lot No 1, having consumed 24 lbs, of salt. 
Weighed 
Weighed 
Gain in 117 
13th of March. 
13th of May. 
days. 
A . 
330 lbs. 
A . 
A 90 lbs. 
B. 
316 „ 
B .. 
400 „ 
B 84 „ 
C . 
314 „ 
C .. 
416 „ 
C 102 lbs. 
960 lbs. 
1,236 lbs. 
276 lbs. 
Lot No. 2, without salt. 
A’. 
Weighed 
13th of March. 
292 lbs. 
A’.. 
Weighed 
13th of May. 
342 lbs. 
A’.. 
Gain in 117 
days. 
50lbs. 
B’., 
308 „ 
B\. 
428 „ 
B\. 
120 „ 
C\ 
304 „ 
C\. 
410 „ 
C’.. 
106 „ 
904 lbs. 
l,180lbs. 
276 lbs. 
The average weights between these dates being — For Lot No. 1, 
with salt, 1,098 lbs. ; and hay consumed per day, 35ilbs. For Lot 
No. 2, without salt, 1,042 lbs.; and hay consumed per day, 32 lbs. 
It follows, that lOOlbs. of live weight have taken in fodder — - 
In Lot No. 1, with salt, 3‘21bs; in Lot No. 2, without salt, 31 lbs. 
This result, when the cattle had as much food as they could eat, 
shews the correctness of the estimate of 3 lbs. to each 100 lbs. of 
live weight, which was the basis of the first experiment. Indeed, 
I may say, after several years’ observation, that the above has 
always been the result when the cattle have a full supply of food. 
To resume. In this experiment we find that Lot No. 1, with 
salt, for each lOOlbs. of hay consumed has produced in live weight 
6*8 lbs; that Lot No. 2, without salt, for each lOOlbs. of hay 
consumed has produced in live weight 7 2 lbs. We may, then, 
conclude that salt added to the food does not produce any appre- 
ciable effect in the growth of young animals; a result which, after 
all, ought not to surprise, even admitting the value of salt in food, 
since, by analysis, it was found that all the food the cattle received 
contained a certain portion, so that the animals were never with- 
out it 
By the analysis of the ashes of the food consumed by Lot No. 2, 
without salt, the following quantity was detected : — 
In the hay, 9*5 lbs were 3*8 oz. Troy. 
In the beet-root, 7'5 lbs. were 0‘96 „ 
In 2 ‘2 gallons of water were 0’32 „ 
Total 5.08 oz. Troy. 
