STOCK-FEEDING HINTS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17664, 13 September 1919, Page 2

STOCK-FEEDING HINTS.

While the chemical composition of the food must be varisd in character point of supreme importance. The food must not only have the right constituents, but it must also be digestible and palatable. Tlie mere taking of food into the stomach is not sufficient to sustain life. The juices secreted by the wall of that organ must act on it ; and reduce it to such a condition that the solid parts become dissolved, and are thus able to permeate the walls of the stomach and intestines, and enter the blood. By the blood they are carried to all parts* of the body to supply the food j required by the working parts. The food must therefore contain a proper proportion of digestible matter. /When the stomach is filled with a mass of dry, hard, innutritious grass, leaves, and straw, not only is. the animal deprived of proper nutriment, but it cannot make use of the digest ible parts of that which ia actually present in the stomach. Then also the food must be varied in character j and-appetising. We all know- the effect upon ourselves of the way in which a meal is cooked and served, i and the same holds good for animals. The sight and smell of food, and the anticipated enjoyment of the meal are the chief stimulants to the secretion of the gastric juice. It has been shown by recent experiments that suitable food may be placed in the stomach of a starving animal, and no attempt will be made to digest it if the animal is not aware of its presence. In the same way the digestive juices will be secreted in abundance if the animal merely thinks he has swallowed food. He may be completely deceived on this point, but preparations for the digestion of the meal are made all the same- Hence successful feeding implies variety as well as quantity and quality.