The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-06-23
vertlng digested food into vital force

vertlng digested food into vital force
and flesh and fat or milk and butter.
1t is not enough to supply animals with
the elements of these products in a
concentrated form; large bulk of in
digestible matter is required to keep
the digestive apparatus in proper con-
dition and healthful action. Animals
are constructed, SO to speak, with an
apparatus for working up large mass
of material in which the actual nutri-
tive elements are largely diluted with
this indigestible matter, and the all
mentary canal has large surface and
varied functions, all of which must be
brought into action for healthful
effect. If three or four quarts of corn
meal were fed to COW or an OK, the
compact mass would lie in small por-
ton OF the extensive stomach, and
would pass quickly beyond the active
reach OF large part of the intestines,
and could never reach considerable
portion of them at all. The consequence
must necessarily be to excite unduly
parts of these organs and to leave other
parts inactive anddormant. The nerv-
Gus and muscular system of the intes-
tines would become paralyzed in part
and in part overworked, and disorder
would necessarily ensue. This is found
to be the case in practice with all animals,
forever a man, whose stomach is COM
parativly small cannot BEAUTIFULLY exist
upon concentrated food of highly stim-
ulating character. such as extract of
! beef, or bread alone. How much less
| then, can an-cx or a cow be fed on
| highly concentrated food, with stom-
ach of very large capacity, but arranged
| IN four accomplishments expressly provided
for the manipulation of large bulk of
| coarse food. and the solution, from
large mass, of small portion of digest
ible aliment? Either this large mass
must be provided, or the rich food must
be diluted with an excessive and UNI
heattfui quantity of water 1t is not
sufficient to say that an animal has
lived through some months, of such
feeding. That is quite possible, for
certain amount of hardship can be suf-
fered with apparent impunity bv any
animal. A horse deprived of all solid
1ood whatever, and with nothing but
water, has worked for sixteen DAYS
regularly without becoming completely
enfeebled and has lived without appar-
ent Inconvenience for sixty DAYS upon
water alone. But it is obvious that
this is altogether an abnormal condition,
and the animal existed in spite of the
deprivation of food. So an animal may
be kept alive ON concentrated food
alone for months, but the tax upon its
endurance must effect it's vital force to
large extent. This principle should
always be considered when we under
take to. stimulate the growth or the
product Of any animal by the use of
highly concentrated food. 1t may be
that we are on the verge of excess in
this direction. Excessive fairness is
disease. The fat stored up in the
tissues OF a young animal is an abnormal
product, and tends. to- weaken the
system. A mature and full-grown ami
NAL well fed naturally becomes obese.
and the fat Accumulated NAV not he in.
furious to its healthfulness. The prey
alence OF disease in cattle seems to be
natural consequences of the present
system Of overlooking or forcing of the
growth or production. 1t is more an
parent in England than here, because
we have not gone nearly so far in this
forcing method as they have. The pro.
duction of SO baby beef as it is called.
is conspicuous case in point. For
merry steer was in condition for
slaughter at the age of five years. A
large portion of this period was spent
at pasture, and the growth was Slow
but healthful. The beef at that period
was unsurpassed for quality. But the
pressure of competition and the in
crease OF the farmers expenses, made
necessary by more luxurious life, have
tended toward reducing the value and
OF increasing the cost Of a beef animal.
and it gradually became requisite to
bring the steer to maturity for the |
butcher at the. age Of two years, SO as
to save expense. This was done by a
system of forcing from birth with excess
OF food of the richest kind. The con-
sumption of oil-cakes of various kinds. |
OF corn-meal. and of malt largely increas-
ed, and instead of carcass of 800 to
i'OoO pounds, consisting chiefly of nu-
trltlous and wholesome flesh, with only |
sufficient fat to make it tender and |
juicy, there is now a carcass of the same |
weight, one-haf of which is fat closely
distributed among the muscular fibres |
and laid on the surface in enormous |
layers and masses. 1t may not be the |
direct consequences of this system that |
the English herds are so terribly raw
aged by diseases of virulent kind. |
such as sfoot and mouth disease OF
aphthous fever, or pleuro-pneumonia,
and Others of which their agricultural
journals are constantly omplaining. |
but it isbo Striking coincidence. and |
so reasonable result that it is scarce
~ possible to- associate the facts as
otherwise than cause and effect.-N Y.
Times.