Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-01-24
Salt for Animals.

With less scientific jargon than usual in
Journals devoted to the medical and veter-
nary professions, Prof Aitken of Edin-
bureh. one of the new editors of the Veter-
marian. writes a useful article in that peri
odical on 1.-THE importance of salt as an
article of diet" He draws attention to
the fact that in the blood of animals there
is six or seven times as much sodium as
potassium and that the blood is remark
able among animal tissues in the constancy
of its composition. 1t is therefore neces-
sary, for the proper maintenance of good
health. that a certain definite amount of
sodium chloride common salt) should be
assimilated by the animal. An excess of
potassium salts, however, is found in GER
tain food substances, and this renders the
presence of salts all the more necessary as
an article of diet. A too abundant supply
of potassium eliminates the salt in the
blood, to pass as urine. Consequently the
tissues of the body are called upon to yield
up to the blood the amount of sodium chic
ride which it requires to maintain the com
position of the blood at its normal condi-
ton. The craving of an animal for salt is
most imperative when the diet consists
largely of food very rich in potassium salts,
such as the cereal grains wheat, barley
and oats-potatoes, peas and beans. On
the other hand, when there is an excess of
salt, there is a craving for water TO wash
1t out in the eXcretiOns through the kidneys
and the skin. Animals that are given
much salt, and are allowed to quench their
thirst freely, not only pass more urine than
ordinarily, but also sweat more freely than
on more equable diet. Too much salt
throws too much work on the kidneys, and
serious complications may follow an inju-
dicious quantity supplied. The pig has few
sweat glands by which to secrete an extra
amount of salt. Those which it possesses
are congregated around the snout. These
are not sufficient to eliminate any excess of
salt administered, even with the aid of
healthy action of the kidneys, and there
fore brine-poisoning takes place, disease
not unfamiliar 10 the owners of swine.
The addition of salt to the ordinary food
of animals does not increase the digesti-
blity of the substances consumed, but it
increases their appetite, tends to promote
repair of tissues by its searching diffusion
through the body, while it stimulates the
rapid using up" of its waste products.
Experiments made by Boussingault showed
that salt increases muscular vigor and &C
tlvity among oxen, and improves their gen.
eral appearance and condition. When
muscular strength is the object of feeding,
regular supply of salt improves health
and vigor; thus 1t is that horses derive such
benefit from partaking of ESPECIALLY
When corn and beans form an important
part OF their dietary. Fattening oxen
should only have as much salt as will in-
crease their appe tite for food, and so i'm
prove their condition. 1t should not be
given to them too freely, as the more slug
glsh they are and the more inclined to rest,
the more rapidly will they accumulate
wealth of flesh
The quantity of salt given to an OK is a
matter of some importance. The quantity
round suitable to give to oxen feeding on
nay straw, turnips, etc., is, says Prof. Ait
Ken, from half an ounce to one and a-half
ounces per day for every 1000 pounds live
weight; but if food rich in potash salts
such as potatoes, corn, beans and peas, is
peihg led to stock, the quantity of salt may
De considerably increased with good effect.