Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-02-15
formtrs' Department.
From the Wool GrOwer.
saItIn Feeding Cattie

FRoN some slight and inconslusiVe expert
ments Of our own, AS well as from physiologi-
cal considerations. Se have had our doubts
whether il was good economy to allow animals
feeding for the Sutcher, the free u5e OF salt,
Salt Is doubtless conductive to health, favoring
the formation Of bile, aud aiding in carrying
effete matter from the system; but there Is no
reason to suppose hat 1t favOrs the accumula-
ton of Fat. LIEBI0, indeed, asserts that the
absence of common salt is favorable to the for
nation Of fat. and that the fattening Of an
animal is rendered impossible, when We add to
its food an excess Of salt, although short Of the
quantity required to produce a purgative ef
feet Recently. however.ln alluslon to expert
ments made since the publication Of the work in
which the above sentences occur, IIFBIo says
Salt does not act as producer OF flesh; but
il nsutrazes the injurious actions Of the con-
di.ipns, which must be united in the unnatural
state of animals fsd or fattened in order to pro-
duce hesh; and the advantages attending its
use can hardly be estimated too highly
The experiments Of BoUssISaAULT have often
been alluded to, as indicating that salt by no
means exercises beneficial influence upon the
growth Of cattle, and upon the development Of
flesh, to the extent usually ascrbed to il. His
more recent experiments, however, result in IA
Yor Of salt. Thus, two lots Of steers, of three
each, were fed on hay for IS months, one lot
being allowed salt, the other not
The average weight per head of the sailed
lot. at the commencement of the experiment, was
955 pounds; at the end Of 5 months, 2,090bs.
Increase 1876 lbs. They consumed per head
l5,972 lbs Of hay One ton Of hay, therefore
produced l43 lbs. ofincrease Of animal,
The second lot, which received no salt, ay er.
aged at the commencement of The experiment
S96 lbs; at the and of IS months, / $50. In
caease 994 lbs. They consumed per head H.
553 lbs. of hay. Or one ton Of hay produced
1877 lbs. of increase Of animal.
The steers receiving salt produced 6 lbs
more increase for each ton of hay consumed
than those which were not allowed salt. This
may be considered only "a slight advantage, and
IN France did not pay for the cost of the salt
in this country, however. were salt is much
cheaper, its use will doubtless be profitable
BoUssIEGAULr remarks the salt exercises no
considerable influence on the growth yet it ap.
pears to exert beneficial effect on the appear
ance and condition of the animal Up to the
frs: fourteen days, no percepuhle difference
was observed between the two 10 IS; but in the
course of the month following, difference was
visible even to the Impractical eye. In the
beast Of both lots, the skin to the touch was
fine and sound, but the hair in the steers hav-
ing salt was smooth and shining; that of the
Others dull and erect. As the experiment pro-
gressed, these signs became still more promi'
nent In the animals OF the second lot, after
thev had no salt for year, the hair was mat
ted.ant the skin here and there devoid Of hMr
Those Of the frat lot on the contrary, retained
the look Of staikept beasts. Their livelines
and frequent indications of the tendency t.
leap, con'rasted strlkngly with the heavy gai
and cold temperament observed in those Of th,
second lot. There can be no doubt BoussrS
eArLr adds. that higher price woul hav,
been obtained in the market for the OK N rear
ed under the influence Of salt