Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1887 — A Hint on Fattening Animals [ARTICLE]

A Hint on Fattening Animals

An animal cannot live long upon wholly digestihle matter. We cannot with all our skill feed animals successfully upon such rations of food as will be wholly need up in the nutritive process and none be ejected as waste. Therefore a provision in eicess of the actual known needs must be given to animals, and this excess may be as cheap as - can be procured. A certain portion of crude fibre is required; it may be given in s'raw or eoarse bay, but if it i snot given, the highly fed animals will chew boards, corncobs, or other coarse, indigestible matter, to supply the cravrngTjf thg'Byßtem for it. ' This ~fact ac* counts for the habit of fattening swine to eat charcoal, stone coal, etc., or to gnaw the rails or boards of the pen,and it should be taken into account when, the animals are pat ap to fatten.