Read and translate the text.

THE COW

The cow belongs to the class of ruminants. Its value as a domestic animal consists in her ability to consume and digest large quantities of roughage and to convert it into milk and meat for human food.

The cow's stomach, which is a compound one, has four distinct compartments; rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. The stomachs of mature cows vary in capacity from 25 to 60 gallons (150 to 300 pounds) depending on the size of the animal.

To produce a large supply of rich milk, cows must be not only well fed but also be of good milking qualities. The cows that are producing milk require a much larger quantity of water than is necessary for growing animals.

The period of gestation in cows is about 40 weeks.

The lactation period is the period of milking after each calf and it usually lasts for about ten months.

The first milk after calving is called colostrum, and it has a necessary laxative action on the calf's stomach.

Dairy cows are milked three times a day and watered twice a day.

In summer the consumption of water by cattle is greater on account of the greater evaporation from the skin.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What class of animals does the cow belong to? 2. What farm animals chew the cud? 3. Why is the cow a valuable animal? 4. How many compartments are there in the cow’s stomach? 5. Are enzymes secreted in the first compartment? 6. How long does a period of gestation in the cow last? 7. How long does the lactation period last? 8. In what season do the cattle consume more water?

3. Give the plural of the following words:

capacity, quantity, ability, dairy, supply, quality.

4. Fill in the blanks with the prepositions:

1. It depends ... the size ... the animal. 2. A great quantity ... water is necessary ... growing animals. 3. The cow belongs ... the class ... ruminants. 4. The stomachs ... mature animals vary ... capacity ... 25 ... 60 gallons. 5. The lactation period lasts ... ten months.

Word List B

5. Translate into Russian:

1. Cows have a remarkable ability to store calcium, phosphorus and other minerals in their skeletons, and the dry period gives them the opportunity to accumulate these reserves of minerals as well as of vitamins. 2. The cow is capable of utilizing a large quantity of coarse fodder and of converting huge amounts of pasture herbage and green forage crops into milk 3. The milking cow must have wa­ter at least twice daily, and the heavy yielder must have access to it more frequently. 4. While cows are on pasture or consume a considerable quantity of silage or green fo­rage, the diet is complete for milk production. 5. In-calf cows require some extra food to nourish the calf in the womb. 6. Cows in poor condition may require much more food for the last couple of months of pregnancy in order to raise their condition for the following lactation. 7. High-yielding cows give more milk if milked 3 times than when milked twice per day. 8. A milking cow requires food for the double purpose of body maintenance and milk produc­tion. 9. The dairy cow, like other ruminants, is capable of synthesizing in her body her requirements by way of vita­min C, as well as the B₁ and the B complex group of vita­mins. 10. Cows which are giving a high yield of milk re­quire liberal protein feeding.

6. Translate into English:

1. Коровы могут переваривать большое количество грубых кормов. 2. Молочных коров следует доить три раза в день. 3. Период лактации у коров продолжается около 10 месяцев. 4. Коровы этой породы дают молоко высокой жирности. 5. Молозиво стимулирует нормальную деятельность кишечного тракта. 6. Летом скот пьет больше воды, чем зимой. Поэтому летом необходимо обеспечивать обильный запас воды для скота. 7. Желудочный сок вырабатывается в четвертом отделе желудка жвачных. 8. У свиньи и лошади простые желудки.

Lesson 4. The Pig

Word List A

Read and translate the text.

THE PIG

As we already know, the pig is an omnivorous animal with a simple stomach.

There are a number of pure breeds of pigs, including Black breeds, White breeds, and the Tamworths which have a golden-red colour. Crosses commonly show the mixed colours of the pure breeds.

Pigs thrive in the open air under summer conditions, and they can during warm weather, convert their food in­to meat as economically out-of-doors as in the sty.

A pregnant pig is called a sow which usually produces from 6 to 12 at a litter. The act of parturition is called farrowing. On the approach of farrowing a sow should be in good condition but not fat. Close confinement prior to farrowing is harmful. Sows suckling litters require somewhat more water. Their rations should be supplied with micro and macro elements otherwise anemia will result.

One should remember that the teeth of the pig do not provide conditions for very fine grinding. That's why they do not digest the fibre of feeds well.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. How many breeds of pigs do you know? 2. What do crosses commonly show? 3. What is a pregnant pig cal­led? 4. Has the pig a compound stomach? 5. Can pigs con­vert their food into meat both out of doors and in the sty? 6. What is harmful for a pregnant sow? 7. What should the rations of sows suckling litters be supplied with? 8. Do the teeth of the pig provide conditions for very fine grind­ing?

3. Form the verbs from the following words and tran­slate them:

requirement, namely, consumption, products, provision, grinding.

Word List В

4. Translate into Russian:

1. Pigs excel all other farm animals in the economy with which they convert feed into edible flesh. 2. Beef and mutton furnish a higher percentage of protein, on the ave­rage, than does pork. 3. Because of the small proportion of bone in the dressed carcass of swine, the percentage of the carcass that is edible is decidedly higher than in the case of cattle or sheep. 4. When pigs are on good pasture, a considerable amount of protein is provided by the green forage they eat. 5. Swine, like all other classes of stock, should always be supplied with plenty of water. 6. Wheat in a ground form is an excellent ingredient of a pig diet. 7. Though swine require less salt than cattle, horses, or sheep, they should be supplied with it regularly. 8. After weaning the little pig requires a considerable amount of protein and of minerals for growth. 9. Goitre in new-born pigs and other farm animals is due to a lack of iodine in the feed and water consumed by the dams during pregnan­cy. 10. Molasses or treacle makes a useful and suitable part of the pig ration.

5. Translate into English:

1. Свинья – быстро растущее животное. 2. Срок пло­доношения (беременности) у свиней 3 месяца, 3 недели и 3 дня. 3. Рационы свиней состоят в основном из зерна и других концентратов. 4. Свиньи также потребляют отходы молочных и других продуктов. 5. При низких тем­пературах у поросят развивается анемия. 6. Витамины А и D имеют большое значение в кормлении свиней.

Lesson 5. The Sheep

Word List А