This is a balanced ration for milch cows, because it contains very 

 nearly the amounts of dry matter, protein and carbohydrates and 

 fat which experienced feeders have found to give the best results. 

 If the total amount of carbohydrates and fat (13.366) is divided by 

 the total amount of protein (2.474), the result is 5.4. Thus for 

 every lb. of protein there is 5.4 lbs. of carbohydrates and fat. In 

 other words, this ration has a nutritive ratio of 1 : 5.4 ; which is the 

 ratio suggested on page 140 of the bulletin. 



The nutritive ratio of a ration for milch cows need not always be 

 1 : 5.4. It may vary from 1 : 5 to 1 : 6, or even wider and still give 

 good results in some cases. But since rations with a nutritive ratio 

 of 1.5 to 1.6 have been most successful in the past, it would be good 

 policy for every farmer to so combine his feed-stuifs that the nutri- 

 tive ratio will come between these limits. 



This ration will be eaten with a relish by most cows and will 

 make them give a good flow of milk. Others may not do so well 

 and a change may help them. This is because the stomachs of cows 

 vary just as much in their power to digest food as do the stomachs 

 of men, which was brought out in the last paragraph of Lesson 'No. 

 8. Here is where the Experiment Station man cannot help the 

 farmer much. All he can do is to suggest a ration which has given 

 good results with many cows, but which may not give good results 

 w^ith some cows. If a riian is to feed his stock intelligently and 

 econoinically^ he must learn the needs of each cow, and how far he 

 should depart from the regidar balanced ration in feeding her. 



Ration No. 2. , 



One man writes, '^ The ration you give is all right for the man 

 who has those feeds, but I do not have them and cannot afford to 

 buy them. I have ground oats, corn meal, mixed hay and corn 

 stover (stalks). Can a balanced ration for milk be made from these 

 without buying other feeds ? " 



Estimate how much of each feed a cow can eat daily, and then 

 look in Bull. 154 for the amount of dry matter, protein, and car- 

 bohydrates and fat in each. This gives the following table : 



563 



