The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-02-07

experiment, with enough nearness,
the expenditure of heat and of work
which the animal undergoes in partic-
ular circumstances.
We can take, as an average for an
adult beast of 500 kilos 1 100 pounds
idle in stable, at a temperature of
twelve degrees centigrade [sixty de-
grees Fahrenheit, u total loss of heat
equal to 10000 calorcs per day, of
which about two-thirds represent the
heat radiant from the surface of the
body, one-fourth that absorbed in the
evaporation by the skin and the breath,
and the balance as being used up in
warming up the food and drink, as well
as the air which is breathed. With
suitable feed, which does not cause
perspiration, the losses of heat will be
nearly in proportion to the degrees of
difference between the temperature of
the animal and that of the surrounding
atmosphere. The cutaneous transpira-
ton [insensible perspiration1, and also
some of that from the breath, may
cause cooling off-especially when the
feed is given warm, or the external
heat is too great, or by hard work.
The total Transportation sensible and
insensble perspiration] is the regula-
tor, in most cases, of the animal heat;
the lung respiration being the regulator
of the temperature of those animals
which do not easily sweat, such as the
dog and birds. AS we can see, it is the
loss of heat by radiation from the body
which is by far the most important. 1t
is slight in warm weather and with
animals kept in warm quarters, or pro-
tected by good coats, like sheep; but it
becomes very inconsiderable in winter,
in cold winds or in damp surroundings:
and also for work animals, such as
horses, when remaining long exposed
to the weather without sufficient pro-
lection.
We may admit, also, for an OK of
800 Kilograms LOO pounds] in store
condition, as above mentioned, daily
loss of work equal to about 600 dyna-
mics, of which at least fve-siXths will
go to produce the motion of the heart
and lungs, which cause the circulation
of the blood and the breathing; and
the remainder, employed in the mast-
cation of the food, the interior move
ments of digestion and the restricted
bodily movements of beast at rest.
1t is to be understood that we do not
here concern ourself with useful bodily
activity, which may be very consider.
able, or with what we shall see, further
on, in reference to working beasts.
Also, there are the motions of the heart
and the breathing, without which there
could be no manifest animal life, and
which makes up almost all the activity
of store cattle.
Masticati IN of the food consumes but
little energy, except with such woody
food as some kinds of straw, which it
were better to have finely cut. AS are
the temperament and the health of such
animals, and the quality of the food, so
will the losses by work become vari-
able. These are at their least with hi
bernating animals, during their lethar-
gic slumber; and, on the contrary, they
are at their highest with stations when
over-excited by the provocative ardor.
The work necessary, or the vital force
expended, to produce the movements
of the body being proportional to the
mass of the body, and to the square of
the acquired speed, as is shown in me-
chanics, we can understand that the
losses by labor with any animal will be
rapidly increased by all the causes
which increase the mass of the blood
or the rapidity of its circulation and OF
the respiration,-such as: O Too high
feeding, excessive drinking, arrest Of
Precipitation, which increase the mass
of the blood. (2) A highly rari6ed at
mosphere, as upon high mountains; toe
impure, or too hot, as in suffocating
stalls; or too dry, as being injurious tt
the lungs. (O Bodily labor; especially
such as hurries the circulation of the
blood and the respiration, thus furnish
ing rapidly to the muscles the oxyger
required for the disorganization ant
combustion of the assimilated protein
which is the source of muscular power