Show cwm W lw l sick soils have effect on animals earth should be Tac factories tories not mines by DR WILLIAM A ALBRECHT department of hi soils college of at agriculture university of f missouri that sick soils will not build healthy animals any more than they will produce sturdy field crops is significant in view of our national tendency cl to combat soil erosion by allowing touch much of the fertility de plated soa to go back to grass in place of giving attention to soil fertility measures that feed growing plants we have too often adopted the practice of crop hunting in the mistaken belief that when one crop starves another can be found that will thrive on the same depleted land but we cant breed crops against starvation any more than a sterile parent can transmit the character of sterility evidences of declining soil fertility are seen in the greater number of deficiency diseases among our farm animals veterinarians are constantly faced with increasing cases of strange animal ailments for which no specific body weakness or visible physiological cause can be found eye ailments a tendency to blindness had bad gaits rounded back lines inferior condition poor feeding progress and even debility and death can ie be traced to deficiencies in animals nutrition if newer legumes or non legumes grow more successfully on less fertile land then such crops must be taking ae less ss nutrient from the soil thus these crops can offer the animals that feed on them less of protein and of ash which for animals the same as for plants are the items drawn from the soil animals limited in feeding confined as they are animals are limited in their feeding by the soil fertility of the farm supplements such as proteins contain too little of the minerals needed and when animals protest by rooting up the very earth or climbing the fence in search of better forage such actions are met by rings in the nose or cumbersome yokes about the neck human serfs have been prohibited in this country for about 75 years but animal slaves can be seen on any trip through the country too often they are almost in a state of starvation because their master the farm owner neglects his soil fertility our soils must become factories instead of continuing as mines from which the fertility is unendingly drawn raw materials such as limestone phosphorus potash and other fertilizing elements organic matter and other plant nutrients must go back into the soil in our soil factories we must produce more usable nutrients for plant service such nutrients must not be hauled off unless equal amounts are restored |