Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-02-07
FOR GROWTH OF THE MUSCLE
Complex Problem Presented by the New
Era in the Manufacture of Meat
1.-The Sugar Beet.

The best food is usually the cheapest.
The best ration is composed of several
kinds Of food as rule, says writer in
the Western Rural. Certain qualities
are lacking in corn for producing the
best marbled meat. 1t is rich in fat,
but lacking in the constituents of mus
Gle growth. The average feeder has
much to learn about the proper mixture
of the ordinary products of the farm in
furnishing the right combination.
The animals are not of uniform con-
stitution and general health. The di-
gestive apparatus of one is unusually
vigorous and will handle to advantage
the richest of rations. Another more
delicate will demand less of food in
quantity and a mixture of different con-
stituents. The proper adaptation of the
rations to number of cattle or horses
calls for close observation as to the ami
mails capacity to appropriate a given
ration to the best purpose.
Muscle and sinew are needed by the
horse, and such food as oats, clean clo-
yer and corn blades, with small per-
centage of bran, corn and new process
oil meal form ration that with varia-
tons should be desirable. The horse is
intended for work, and strength in the
frame work of the creature Is the first
consideration. Fat is but an incident
In the makeup of a horse. 1t adds to
the appearance Of the equine if in mod
crate quantity, and, as rule, there Is
enough of the carbonaceous fat food in
the various constituents of muscle
forming grains, provender and condi-
ments to furnish that quality in ade
quate proportion. This latter PROPOSE
ton applies to horses kept on a farm
where they are turned out to Craze in
summer and winter upon blue grass,
clover, rye, corn stalks, etc. Horses
kept in dry yards, and fed everything
by hand, so to speak, must be dieted
more carefully.
Cattle and hogs, as well as mutton
sheep, are heavily fed for the purpose
of producing meat. The sort of meat
demanded by the market must deter
mine the plan of feeding. Formerly,
when tallow and lard were not in COM
petition with petroleum, electricity and
cotton seed oil. the simple question Of
fat production was in order. Corn
mainly, with slight variety of other
grains, seemed adequate to the situa-
ton.
The new era of the manufacture of
meat is a much more complex problem.
The village, as we'll as the city person
age, who works within doors of office,
shop or factory, demands more lean
meat. The farmer, too, performing his
labor by modern machinery and in win
ter often within the doors of barn or
shed has not the vigorous appetite that
relishes fat meat. 1t is safe to estimate
that three-fourths of the people of our
country no longer care for the over-fat
food that was required by the masses
30 years ago. In fact, the health of the
people is better and their ability to per-
form manual and mental labor is en-
HANGED by the use of more lean meat
for food.
Modern food for the meat-producing
animals is more economical if 1t en-
brace at least three-fourths proportion
of muscle-forming constituents during
the period of development and maturity
of the frame of the carcass. During the
period of fattening to the finish, even,
1t is wise, we believe, to provide that
two-fifths of the food should be protean
muscle-forming food, and during the
summer months the three-fourths ra-
ton is safer one, even for the finishing
months of the feeding period.