Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-01-14
From the london Lancet. .e
EXPERIMENTS ON. THE USE OF COD
LIVER OIL IN FATTENiNG ANIMALS:
BY JAMES E. PoILocK, N. D

cattle with view to ascertaining its positive pow
| ers of fattenng when the assimilating functions
are in normal condition.
The, points 10 be ascertained with precision
1 seem TO me to be-hrst, whether the deposition
4 of fat 10 healthy ANIMALS can be increased by the
administration Of cod-Iiver oil; and, secondly,
| the limits within which its action is manifested -
4 consideration which includes defining the guam
tity which, whentuken, is assmilated into healthy
fat, and in the excess of which disease is genera
/ ted.
Leaving the more general and highly interest
ing questions regarding the bearing Of these
| points on disease for future observations, will
Shortly state what little practical information l
can offer towards an calculation oil these ques-
tions. tea
About two years ago, when on a visit 10 an in
lelligent friend residing on his own farm IN Essex,
| and whose attention has been actively directed to
the practical application of science TO agriculture,
it occurred 10 me to suggest to him the use Of
cod liver oil in fatening cattle, stating my belief
that it might be possible 70 obtain by its admins
tration decided saving in the cost of feeding
/ proposed that he should separate off such of his
stock as were to be The subjects of experiment,
4 and that the weight of the animals, the price obs
tanned, and the outlay for food should be careful-
ly noted in comparison with others fed in the Oh
] binary manner. The variety of my friends oc-
! equations prevented his giving TO my plan The
4 minute attention which could have been desired,
and the results of which had hoped before this
to publish but the following letter from HIM
contains matter Of much interest, land if mistake
not foundation for future experiment and inves-
| tigation.
6 You asked me to wite you some particulars
Of my experiments upon fatlening animals with
cod oil. | will not attempt to give you any very
minute details, but will endeavor TO place before
| you general view of what we have done, and
! as last winter | carried my plans out more fully
than the preceding one, will particularly speak
Of my operations at that time And first Of pigs.
| kept upon an average three hundred, and killed
| from twenty to thirty per week, mostly porkers,
| from five to fifteen stone weight. The expert
meuts made by dividing off twenty pigs and
weighing each lot, keeping the meal separate,
| giving lot, 2 ounces Of oil per diem, and both
| as much meal as they liked. / found the pigs
taking the oil ate less meal, weighed the heaviest,
and made the most money per stone in the Lon
r don market, the fat being firm and white Sub
sequently have found for small pigs one ounce
| Of oil will do better 70 larger pigs have Civ.
en- quarter Of pint per diem, and to small pigs
also, but have always found lost my money
and credit for good pork when the larger quantity
| was given, and when killed the fat was yellow,
and flesh tasted 6shy. From the weekly exam.
| nation Of SO many pigs, have concluded that
the oil in no case cured a pig troubled with lung
disease, but that when given in small quantities
it was profitable, as the animal fatted upon less
amount of food, the offending to produce fat
quickly. My experiments have led me to con.
clude that if given in a quantity which cannot be
| dgested it is then passed over the system IN the
shape Of bile, SO to cause the yellow appear
| ance in the fat The farmer in such case would
lose money, as my man did for me, believing that
! better
ssThe result with sheep has heen more salts,
| factory; with one ounce per day the fat has been
beautifully white, and the flesh has been com.
| pared to short cake, being light and easy Of di-
/ gesIon. The lot Of IS gave general satisfaction
| to the consumers; but the butchers complained of
| lighter weight than the healthy, well to do APP
pearance Of the sheep led them to expect.
"As regards hulocks. Last year len short
| horns took each from quarter Of pint to three
quarters of pint daily, and paid better than any
| other bullocks; these were sold for London. Yhe
| opinion of all who saw them W as, that it was m-
| possible for any beasts to 60 on so well as they
| did in the usual way with SO little food. They
commenced with the quarter plnt,and ended with
three quarters fancied, on the whole THAT they
did better on half pint each per diem. pur-
| chased for an experiment this year eight Here
fords, even or regular beasts. They are divided
into two lots, one Of which has quarter of pint
Of oil daily, and all live alike.
/ .sThe bulocks have the oil mixed up with
meal and chaff; the pigs with dry meal; the
sheep have split beans soaked in OIL The COM
lponest cod oil cost from 2s Sd 10 IS per gallon
have tried sperm oil against ne cod oil, pre-
! fer the latter should add that this year only
use ounce for sheep and pigs, and 'lourounces
| per day for each bullock. The relief to brok
| en- winded horse from the administration Of cod
| oil is very soon perceplible | shall be most
happy at any time to write to you further on this
subject.
''Believe mo yours faithfully.
s'1'o DR. Pollock. A. w.
| 1. 1t will be observed that in the above ex-
periments on pigs, bulocks, and sheep, great
err degree Of fattening was obtained from less
amount OF food when cod oil Yves used.
| 2. That in all the animals there seemed to be
decided limit to the quantity which could be
| digested; that for pigs being two ounces, the
| smaller thriving best on one ounce, and the lar
ger hogs being over fed on four ounces per diem.
| Sheep took an ounce, and bullocks quarter to
three quarters of pint, and 'paId better than
any other bullocks;'' but in all these cases
much larger quantity was tried experimentalIy,
and it invariably disagreed, producing derange-
ment of digestion, and s'causing yellow appear
ance Of the fat and fshy taste.'' This was re-
marked by the butcher who purchased The ami
mails, and who, at my request, Was not informed
Of the peculiar mode of fatlening which was
adopted. Whether the above experiments may
induce farmers to adopt cod oil as a jddcious ar
ticle OF food, more efficacious and cheaper for
fattenng their stock, than those ordinarily used,
will not presume to decide; but offer the FORE
going results to the profession, persuaded Of their
importance ndnterest 10 studying the application
and physiological action of oils on the animal sys-
tenn. oil PRS +
CAMEos AND BUsrs BY KINNEY.-Atf the
entrance Of The picture gallery at the Crystal Pal
ace frame filed with canoes by B. ii. Kin
ney, Of Worcester, Mass, which are of very per-
dnli