The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-11
Systematic Stock Feeding.

healthy bonv structure in the AMI
mails Of the farm Is known and adj
mittcd By all. The purposes for
winch animals are kept largely de-
tcrmine the character of bone that
should compose the frame OF the
animal structure. If the animal y
raised and kept for labor, a. in the
horse and OK, the bone must be
large and strong: if for meat. the
bone should be neal and fine. Care
should he taken however, not 20
confound size Of bone with strength,
for ii is the strongest ones. The
strength Of a bone depends Q on
the solidity and tirmness than upon
its size In raising stock for the
butcher a fine bone ought always 10
be sought. But how can this mat
ter be controlled by the breeder
and feeder: This is a question OF
great Importance, and to the an
swer OF it we now address ourselves.
In the first place it Is important TO
select animals that have been bred
for the purpose to which they are
to be devoted for as many genera
/ tons as possible. The Q thor
ouchly the desired characteristics
have been stamped on the breed,
the more easily they can be devel-
opcd and perpetuatcd. But to be-
Gin with such stock as may be on
hand and control the development
of the bone structure SO as to IN
cease OF diminished It's quantlts,
and improve its quality, is a ques-
ton that involves a more or less IN
innate knowledge of animal physl-
ology and Of the constituent ele-
mentS Of plants used for food. The
work of improvement must be be-
gun with the mother during gesta-
ZION. The foetal existence OF the
Young is spent at the expense Of the
mother animal. 1t is evident. there
fore. that the physical system Of
the offspring is largely Influenced
by the food upon which the parent
lives during the period of CESSATION.
If it is desired to increase the
amount Of bone in the frame Of the
young animal, the mother should
be fed during this perid, with food
Astounding IN bone material; but IN
the opposite effect is desired, the
food should be rs free from the ele-
ments Of bone material as may be.
This process should be continued
throughout the whole growing peri
Cd of the Young animal. The aver
age composition of bone is about as
follows:
Gelatine : 80 per cent.
Phosphate of lime % {" s"
Carbonate oflime t " "
Phosphate Of magnesia : 8 /" il"
Soda, dotash and common
salt g 8 " "
We're it will be seen that more
than one-half of the weight of bones
is composed of phosphates of lime
and magncsia. When bones are
burned, thus driving off the VIOLA
] tile matter, the ash or earth of
bones will be found to contain 90
to % per cent. of these mineral
substances. Their importance In
the food or drink of ANIMALS, espe
cially growing ANIMALS, is quite ey-
ident.
These minerals are found to some
extent in nearly all spring and we'll
waters, and are probably obtained
in greater or less quantity from that
source. Where it is desired to re-
strict or diminish the growth Of the
bone, attention should be given to
the amount of the minerals contain
ed in the water drank by animals.
Rain water caught in a cistern or
other impervious basin may be used
IN this case; if in a country of
sandstone where soft water"
abounds this precaution need not
b. taken,
But It is to the food of our ami
mails that we are to look for mate
rails to build up the animal frame,
and IN order to an intelligent m
ployment Of these substances. we
should know the proportions of
the different mineral elements con-
tanned by them. The following
table exhibits the per cent. of ash
or earthly matter contained in aver
age specimens of the various sub
stances named
Meadow hay 60 Rye grass, tia. rs
Red clover hay o. Rye grass. Eng. 6.5
Timothy hay 10 Orchard grass 4.6
Wheat straw 55 Wheat (grain) 30
Rye straw 3.2 Rye (graln) 90
Oat straw 90 Oats. 80
Corn fodder 40 Corn, 2.1
Potato or Carrot. 10