Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-01-25

There are other truths which the
one of the most important being that
uniform gains are essential to profit
able returns. 1t has been thought by
many that 1t made little difference
about letting an animal get into a poor,
thin and rundown condition, just so IT
could be fattened or rarner maze to
show large daily gains when placed lh
the stall. This is a mistake, for pc
RODS Of stagnation are always inJur-
ious. Uniform growth and development
of all parts of the BODY and the stimu-
latton, for example, or the assimf1ative
functions are necessary to uniform
gains An example will illustrate. An
animal allowed to run on pastures or
kept in the stall where the food supply
was not of the right character might
gain but pound per day for a part
of the year, and two pounds for the bal
ance, but the chances are that 1T would
not make as large a gam nor as uni
form a development as the animal
which received well-oalanced ration
throu about the entire year, ana was on
thHt account kept in a thriving condi-
ton at all stages of it's growth. This
is Rgsother of the great and Important
truths which the breeder, feeder and
handler of live stock must realize as
essential at the outset if he hopes TO
engage in animal industries with sue
cess.
The chemical composition or the food
in a ration must be carefully consider
ed. All experienced reeders admit the
truth Of this statement now, and those
who do not are foolish in their day
and generation, and Will certainly pay
a price for their folly and prejudice
against what they are pleased TO calI
the theories of scientists. The sclen-
fist after all. is a much misunderstood
| person; his views and deductions are
frequently subject to mfsinterpretauop
bv those who in their hasty anxiety u
condemn his work draw conclusions
without proper investigation. Inc SCI
enlist is, after all, bur a student OF
nature. and the man who can correctly
/ understand. appreciate and interpret mar
ture will be successful, and his deduc-
tions will always be in accord with the
oreat laws which govern plant ana ann
al life and production. Under haIurai
conditions the animal chooses mlAeu
dict and when artificial conditions are
constituted a mixed diet is still FOUND
70 he the most satisfactory from every
point of view. Unfortunately very
large number of animals, 1ncludlhg the
majority of work stock, are Iorceu u
.,,nsist on a diet which frequently does
not meet the needs of the amman pouy'
mt consists of one variety of food. IL
,1ot,,roIlv becomes distasteful and is not
eaten with relish, does not nave lhd'
STIMULATING effect on digestion and on
tho annette which a variety or 1000
a cords. and hence fails to maintain the
animal body in that high state or equll'
ibriuu which is most deslraple.
Tn this connection, 1T is proper 10
s+ota that the value of foodstuft can
not he estimated by analysis alone. us
value depends largely on It's olsestioll-
itv. and digestibility is deIerlnl
largely by the character or the ulses-
/ tive organs of the particular 1iI.o..
u,bicb is being fed, also on the condltloh
w. v,bicb the food has been pro-
S,,cod and harvested, and on the physl-
col condition in which it is fed. Analy-
81 constitutes a useful guide, but de-
auctions must not be based solely on
| This Digestibility is the sarest uasIs
~, which to proceed, though OF course
the careful student of feeding proolenls
will experiment continually SO as 70
! ed the hest method of combining the
| various foodstuffs he has on mana 81
ss 70 most nearly meet the requli
/ cents of the class of stock ne is ieeu-
inc This is certainly very mp
tant matter, for anima;s snow such q
oreat individuality that no liked rules
! con he laid down for the feedlng Vi
| definite rations. ra
! Tn conclusion, the following polnIs al .
| worthy of considerations: Exposing am
! mails 10 abnormal temperatures resul's
| in waste of food, while discomfort oA
| anv character arrests development. IN
| feeding breeding animals liberalty shoulu
! he the basis of procedure, and changes
| in rstions should be made gradually SO
| as not to disturb or upset the dlgestlVe
! system. Water should always be WITH
held Immediately after heavy feeoing'
as il dilutes the digestive fluids ana rem
doris them inactive. Fresh air ana wen
ventilated stables with plenty or eXer-
else in the open furnish the most IDEAL
| conditions for feeding live stock or any
class. Experiments show that mild eX-
ercise in the open air induces better gains
than combining animals in close, hot and
disseminated stables. In feeding any
! class of live stock the ration should be
produced as largely as possible on the
farm, and this will nearly always be pos
/ sible where proper attention is given to
the subject beforehand.
Nearly every person in the rural dis
tricts is directly or indirectly interested
in this question of animal nutrition. 1t is
q subject which is worthy of the most
careful and earnest STUDY. because it in
fuences the power of work stock, as well