Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1871 — Theory of Feeding Cattle. [ARTICLE]

Theory of Feeding Cattle.

A FAHMKn has three things to consider, with three distinct objects to attain in feeding his cattle, to wit: Ist, to make bon« ; 2d, to make flesh ; and Bd, to make fat ; without the first he can have no flesh, and without flesh he can have no fat. This being so, it is absolutely necessary in feeding cattle that their food shall contain all the elements of bone, flesh, and fat; the former should be plentifully famished the growing animal, and the latter when fattening for the shambles. Bone has for its elements phosphoric acid and lime; flesh has gluten, flbrine, etc., and fat has carbon. It is necessary, therefore, that cattle feed should contain all these in due to their wants with reference i purposes in view; in the young, bone and flesh constituents are required; and these are found in swedes, cabbages, potatoes, with good hay or grass, according to the season of the year; flesh, with a view to fattening, grain, oil, meal, with hay and grass, must be famished. The kinds of feed being known for the accomplishing of certain ends, the next thing to be considered is, the quantity required, best adapted to promote the ends in view, be it growth or fattening. An English writer says an ox requires two per cent of his live weight of hay a day; if he work, two and a half per cent; a milch cow, three per cent.; an ox, fattening, five per cent at first, four and a half per-cent, when half fattened, and four when fat. Grown up aheep require three and a half per cent to keep them in good condition. »*