Here the bulk remains the same, the protein is increased nearly 

 2.5 lbs., and the carbohydrates and fat are decreased over one-half 

 pound. The nutritive ratio of this ration is 1 : 5.7, which is 

 within the limits suggested at the beginning of this Lesson. If it 

 is found that the 3 lbs. of cottonseed meal constipate the cows, one 

 pound might be replaced by a pound of linseed oil meal. 



Protein can usually be bought cheaper in cottonseed meal than in 

 linseed meal, but both are expensive. Perhaps this man can buy 

 some cheaper feed which will do as well. Suppose he tries buck- 

 wheat middlings, which have a nutritive ratio of 1 : 2.1. He must 

 use 5 lbs. of middlings to supply as much protein as the 3 lbs. of 

 cottonseed meal. Then he can feed but 4 lbs. of corn meal and 

 ground oats, because the bulk of the ration must be kept down to 24 

 lbs. Since it is for his interest to feed these two grains of his own 

 raising as much as possible, it may be cheaper in the end to buy the 

 feed which will give the most protein, that is, cottonseed meal. 



Eation Wo. 3. — A Corn-Stalks Ration. 



Another man says, " I have plenty of corn fodder and ear corn of 

 my own raising. I can buy clover hay for $13.00 per ton, wheat 

 bran for $19.00, wheat middlings or red dog flour for $21.00, 

 cottonseed meal for $30.00, linseed meal for $30.00 and mixed feed 

 for $18.00. What is the cheapest balanced ration for milch cows 

 which can be made from these materials ? " 



Some of these feeds should not be used at all in this case : linseed 



meal, because it is too costly, mixed feed because one never knows 



what it contains, wheat middlings and red dog flour because the 



565 



