Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1891 — THE STOCK-RANCH. [ARTICLE]

THE STOCK-RANCH.

Feeding the Weight or Live Stock. In relation to estimating the daily gain in weight of an animal from birth, the Mark Lane Exprewt makes some points from an English standpoint, which it thinks stock-owners there, in their impatience for early maturity, are apt to overlook. It will bo interesting reading for readers here, wherein our contemporary states: At the very outset an essential to perfect accuracy in results is in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred lost sight of. We refer to the weighing of calves at birth. This may seem a matter of trifling importance, but with regard to animals shown at the Christmas fat stock exhibitions, it ought to be the basis of all subsequent calculation as to the live-weight and beef gains. We admit that it is not very clear how this fundamental difficulty can be satisfactorily overcome. It is impossible to tell from the appearance of an animal in calfhood how it is likely to develop with age. But in view of the fact that calves vary in weight at birth from forty pounds to eighty pounds, we feel that a little more attention to the gains of live-weight at different periods, beginning at birth, would not only insure perfect accuracy in computing the increase resulting in a given time frbm foods of known feeding value, but probably throw fresh light on the question as to the period at which the animal is likely to benefit most from increased liberality in feeding. In the feeding and management of live stock more skill is required than many people suppose. Stock-owners have learned much with regard to feeding during the past quarter of a century, yet there is a wide field of inquiry before them. The expenses involved in bringing a 30-monthß’-old steer to maturity are very heavy—too heavy, indeed, to be borne by the average stock-owner; and in order to economize this outlay without retarding the ripening of the animal, a more intimate knowledge is required not only of the composition and tendencies of the animal constitution, but also of the feeding value of the different foods used. The component parts of the animal’s body vary according to its age, its stage of progress, and the nature of its food; but as a rule some 40 per cent, of water has to be converted into or replaced by solid meat during the process of fattening. Some 80 per cent, of the animal body at birth may consist of water, whereas a thoroughly matured carcass should not contain much more than half that percentage. In the course of natural growth of the animal close on SO per cent, of water is solidified, but as much again has to be disposed of within

the time the animal is growing If early maturity is the object of the feeder. The transformation of useless into useful material in the animal system can be effected contemporaneously with its growth, by the use of highly nitrogenous foods. It has been demonstrated by a German scientist that the character of the food supplied to an animal materially affects not only its fattening propensities, but also the percentage of edible meat in the carcass. The use of roots and straw alone, for example,.-tend to develop the inferior parts of an an imat - —to J ncrease the offal and waste, but when given in moderate quantities, along with more concentrated food, such as cake and meal, better if not earlier results are sometimes obtained than whon the fattening diet consists solely of the richer ingredients.