"...So it really is incredible. Tifton 85 has an NDFd of up to 65%, and its fructan accumulation is at least 40% higher than domestic forage. That's what you call being naturally blessed!"
Inside the laboratory, the excited little old man chattered on as he waved the test reports in his hand, while Kitano followed closely behind him.
"This one should be Oxbow Equine Elite. Their freeze-drying technique is very easy to identify."
Professor Ota pulled out one of the reports and slapped it into Kitano's hand.
"Freeze... what?"
A clear look of confusion appeared on Kitano's face.
He had never even heard most of the terms the other man was using.
"Freeze-drying. Those Americans process forage through vacuum drying at -18°C. Supposedly, it preserves no less than 97% of the natural vitamin D3."
Professor Ota shook his head and continued, "As for the Bermuda Grass sample, it should be from Australia's Lucerne Farms Bermuda Gold."
"After analyzing the chemical composition, the magnesium content in every sample you brought remained steadily between 0.35% and 0.4%... Hmph! It really is just as they advertised."
Apparently unwilling to concede to his Australian peers, Professor Ota added, "But something like the 'Moonlight Harvesting Method,' which has no scientific basis, can only be used as a gimmick to fool people who don't know any better."
"So... there's nothing wrong with either of these forages?"
Kitano asked cautiously.
"Of course there's nothing wrong with them. They're both like a Valentine's Day limited-edition two-person strawberry parfait—things you don't usually see."
After handing both reports to Kitano, Professor Ota accepted an iced cola from a student nearby.
"Setting aside that strange comparison, Professor, is it really alright for someone your age to drink iced cola?"
Kitano had no idea what expression he was supposed to wear in response to the scene before him.
"Heh heh. Cola is the secret to my longevity."
After the crisp pop of the can opening, Professor Ota took a large gulp of cola.
Letting out a satisfied sigh, he curiously raised his head.
"What are you still standing here for? Have veterinarians in Hokkaido become so idle these days?"
Just as Professor Yamazaki had said, his old friend was not an easy person to get along with.
Still, Kitano could finally put his mind completely at ease.
Though it was packaged like some suspicious unbranded product, the forage produced by the system was actually quite high-end.
Kitano bought another box of forage.
It was a precaution.
According to the information he had received from Ogawa Masaru, Mejiro Tenma seemed rather picky about food.
Even though the system description included the words [make horses eat with gusto], he still could not be sure whether the forage would meet Mejiro Tenma's approval.
After deciding to deliver the newly arrived forage and the test reports to Nishiken Farm tomorrow, Kitano set the matter aside.
Devra Zack had said that trying to do too many things at once was foolish; only single-minded focus could produce results.
Kitano considered his own talent limited, so once his duties as an owner were temporarily settled, he threw all his energy back into his veterinary work.
He drove to the ranch where he had an appointment.
Both cases that day were ruminal acidosis caused by excessive consumption of high-sugar forage.
The treatment involved administering a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution orally, flushing the rumen, then giving an intravenous injection of 5% glucose saline.
The first patient put up quite a fight and kept struggling throughout the stomach wash.
Kitano and the livestock farmer had to exert considerable effort just to barely restrain it.
By the time they finished, it was already close to noon.
Though he was somewhat hungry, he had no real appetite.
He made do with an energy bar for lunch.
Its flavor was nothing particularly special, but it was more than enough as an emergency ration to fill his stomach and replenish his energy.
Kitano was not picky about food.
He chewed down the energy bar in a few bites and headed for the next farm.
The afternoon was another hard battle.
After finishing his calls, he posted an educational tweet on X about preventing common livestock diseases during the green grass season.
It seemed to be reposted by quite a few people almost immediately.
After returning to the clinic, he took inventory of the medicine in stock.
They were running low on sodium bicarbonate solution.
They also needed to stock up on methylene blue solution and triclabendazole in advance.
For the next two months, he might need to extend the clinic's nighttime hours a little.
With that in mind, Kitano shut off the clinic's main power.
And with that, he officially ended the day's work.
The moment he got home, he stripped off his clothes, which carried a sour stench.
His nasal passages, irritated continuously since morning, were finally freed.
Dinner was curry over rice.
The similar color easily reminded him of the rumen contents he had seen during the day.
The food in the refrigerator would not replenish itself automatically—this was common sense Kitano had understood long before becoming a working adult.
So, when he had not prepared properly, his choices were naturally very limited.
Besides, the curry was not actually as bad as he had imagined.
With only simple heating, even someone bad at cooking could have a piping-hot, richly textured meal in no time.
Its convenience alone was enough to make up for its unappealing appearance.
After filling his stomach, he hurriedly finished showering and climbed into the bathtub he had filled with hot water beforehand.
The tub was somewhat cramped and designed in a way that was not particularly ergonomic.
Apparently, it was meant to prevent users from becoming too comfortable while bathing and suffering carbon monoxide poisoning or drowning as a result.
Though there were plenty of other explanations, Kitano thought that was probably the real reason.
Just lying in such an uncomfortable bathtub was already making him drowsy.
Patting his slightly overheated cheeks, Kitano stood up from the tub without hesitation.
He casually draped on a bathrobe and opened his phone while waiting for his clothes to finish washing.
The important race that would be held soon was already generating considerable buzz on X.
"The Derby..."
Kitano had heard that resounding name long before he ever came into contact with horse racing.
Opening the topic, he looked through the discussion below.
Most of the discussion centered around two horses named Northern Cross and Museum Street.
[Even on Nakayama's somewhat shorter straight, Museum Street still unleashed an astonishing finishing burst. With Tokyo's longer final stretch, perhaps it might break another record.]
[The other horse's physical growth seems to have been going poorly for several months now. Or is Northern Cross really the early-declining type?]
[Isn't it completely Lotto Heart Plus? (lol)]
"Physical growth not going smoothly?"
It seemed Mejiro Tenma was facing a similar problem.
Though he trusted the system's assessment of [late bloomer], he felt that he should do something.