It appears from the results of Lawes and Gilbert's experiments, that pigs store up in their _increase_ about 20 per cent., sheep 12 per cent., and oxen 8 per cent. of their (dry) food. The relative increase of the fatty, nitrogenous, and mineral constituents whilst fattening, are shown in this table. ---------------------+------------------------------------------------- |Estimated per cent. in Increase whilst Fattening. CASES. +--------+-----------+-----------+---------------- |Mineral |Nitrogenous| | | matter |matter | Fat (dry).| Total dry |(ash). |(dry). | | substance. ---------------------+--------+-----------+-----------+---------------- Average of 98 oxen | 1·47 | 7·69 | 66·2 | 75·4 Average of 348 sheep | 1·80 | 7·13 | 70·4 | 79·53 Average of 80 pigs | 0·44 | 6·44 | 71·5 | 78·40 ---------------------+--------+-----------+-----------+---------------- The quantity of food consumed daily by an animal is, as might be expected, proportionate to the weight of its body. The pig consumes, for every 100 lbs. of its weight, from 26 to 30 lbs. of food, the sheep 15 lbs., and the ox 12 to 13 lbs. These figures and the statements which I have made relative to the proportions of fat and plastic elements in the animals' bodies, apply to them in their fattening state, and when the food is of a highly nutritious character. The calf and the young pig will make use--to cause their increase--of a larger portion of nitrogenous matters. The sheep, however, being early brought to maturity, will, even when very young, store up the plastic and non-plastic constituents of its food, in nearly the same relative proportions that I have mentioned.