Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-15
DO Animals Eat In Proportion TO Weight =?

The Short-horn and other large cattle
breeders are much exercised upon this ques-
ton. One of them, more skillful as special
pleader than as a scientist, puts forward the
claim that Short-horn cattle have so much
more perfect digestion than other breeds,
that they can live on less food. But as this
only helps the Short-horn, the Hereford and
"Uolstein men demur. As a matter of
fact there is not particle of evidence to
prove this superior digestive power, while
the probabilities are all on the side of the
presumption that the least profitable 'native'
cattle have quite as good digestive powers
as the highest thoroughbred.
But there is both scientific presumption
and practical experimentation going to show
that il does not take twice the food to main
tain or produce the same growth in an AMI
NAL weighing sixteen hundred pounds as in
two animals weighing eight hundred pounds
each. The two ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS beasts
have a considerably larger surface-their
two hides would contain more square feet
bred pounds. This extra surface iAthrow
ing off heat and this heat has to be sup
Piled from the food. Consequently there
must be waste of the Matchmaking portion
of the food, the starch, sugar and fat. As
small animals are also generally more active,
there is probably loss also of the albumi-
mold. or hesh-making elements.
But concerning this, as theoretically true,
and experimentally proved, we come next to
the real and final question-is this proved
waste equal to the proved saving If a herd
of Jersey cows averaging eight hundred
pounds apiece will make twice as much but
ter as Short-horn herd of half the number
weighing sixteen hundred pounds apiece, is
not the gain on the butter greater than the
loss on the feed
This question has never been fairly met.
Put it to an interested party and he will be-
gin to tell about how much more beef a
Short-horn will make. True enough, they
will individually make more beef, but the
Jersey man will answer that his hco Jerseys
will make about as much, and as good beef,
as the one Short-horn put against them in the
experiment; so that the real question remains
the same" Will not the extra butter from
sixteen hundred pounds of Jersey cows, over
that from sixteen hundred pounds of Short
horn COW, more than pay for the extra feed it
is admitted the Jerseys will require to main.
tain animal heat and muscular action ?"
That there will be some loss in the feed
must be conceded. 1t may also be conceded
that there will be some loss on beef. Blu;
put these and all other losses together, and
will they not be overbalanced, in the butter
dairy, by the double product of butter2
1t is admitted that only for the butter
dairy has the Jersey COW any standing in
the case. This is her specially. If you try
to thrust the Short-horn into competition
with her there with all the acknowledged
superiority of the Short.horn for other pur
poses, at least let the tests be just and fair
If, with sixteen per cent, more feed, you car
get twice the butter from two Jerseys thai
can be got from one Short-horn, can yor
fairly make up the balance so as to show thu
most profit from the Shorthorn That i.
the question before the Westinghouse.