Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-06-04
The sTOCK-RANCH.
Feeding tho weight of Live stock.


In relation TO estimating the daily gain
in weight of an animal from birth, the
Mark Lane Express makes some points
from an English standpoint, which it
thinks stock-owncrs there, in their i'm
patience for early maturity, are apt to
overlook. II will be interesting reading
for readers here, wherein our cOntempor-
airy states:
At the very outset an essential TO per-
feet accuracy in results Is in ninety-nine
cases out of every hundred lost sight of.
We refer to the weighing of calves at
birth. This may seem matter OF tritiing
Importance, but with regard to animals
shown at the Christmas fat stock exhibit
tions, it ought to be the basis OF all sub
sequent calculation as to the overweight
and beef gains.
We admit that it is not very clear how
this fundamental difficulty can be salts
factorily overcome. 1t is impossible to
tell from the appearance of an animal In
calfhood how IL is likely to develop with
age. But In view of the fact that calves
vary in weight at birth from forty pounds
| to eighty pounds, we feel that a little
more attention TO the gains of overweight
at different periods, beginning at birth,
would not only insure perfect accuracy
in computing the actual daily increase
resulting in given time from foods OF
known feeding value, but probably throw
fresh light on the question as to the
period at which the animal Is likely 10
benefit most from increased liberality in
| feeding.
In the feeding and management of live
sUUcK SKIM ~ rcquIreu tnuu rsss"y
people suppose. Stock-Owners have
learned much with regard to feeding dur
ing the past quarter of century. yet
there Is wide field of inquiry before
| them. The expenses involved In bring
ing a 3O-months'-old steer To maturity
are very heavy-too heavy, indeed, to be
borne by the average stock-owner; and
i'm order to economic tlis outlay without
retarding the ripening Of the animal, a
more intimate knowledge is required not
only of the composition and tendencies OF
the animal constitution, but also OF the
feeding value Of the different foods used.
The component parts OF the animal:
body vary according to its age, its stage
of progress, and the nature of its food
but as a rule some 40 per cent Of
water has to be converted into or re
placed by solid meat during the process
of fattening. Some so per cent. of the
animal body at birth may consist o.
water, whereas a thoroughly maturee
carcass should not contain much more
than half that percentage. In the cours'
OF patural growth of the animal close OF
90 per cent. OF water is solidified, but a
much again has TO be disposed OF within
the time the animal is growing II earl
maturity is the object of the feeder.
The transformation OF useless into use
full material in the animal system cal
be effected contemporaneously with IL
growth, by the use of highly nitrogenou
foods. IL has been demonstrated by
German scientist that the character o
the food supplied TO an animal MATERIAL
affects not only its fattening propcnsitles
but also the percentage OF edible meat !
the carcass. The use OF roots and stra'
alone, for example. tend to develop tn
inferior parts OF an animal-to increas
the offal and waste, but when given !
moderate quantities, along with NOR
concentrated food, such as cake an
meal, better II not earlier results al