Rural School Leaflet 121 i 



body are used to give energy to the cells, or they may be stored as 

 body fat. 



A cow or other animal has three uses for the food that it takes into its 

 body: (1) to furnish energy for the mechanical work of the body; (2) to 

 repair any loss of material in the make-up of the body itself; (3) to store as 

 fat any food material in excess of these needs. Fat, carbohydrates, and 

 excess protein over the protein requirements of the body, are used for 

 energy and fat production. Some protein and ash are used for the repair 

 work and for the new material added to the body in the case of the growing 

 animal. 



A ration is the amount of food that is fed to an animal in twenty-four 

 hours for the needs stated. The needs as to digestible protein, digestible 

 carbohydrates, and digestible fat for animals have been carefully calcu- 

 lated. Estimating the amount of food to meet these needs is called com- 

 puting a balanced ration. 



It has been found that there is a certain relation between the necessary 

 amount of protein and of carbohydrates and fat in a ration. This relation 

 has been called the nutritive ratio. The ratio is expressed between one 

 pound of digestible protein and the necessary number of pounds of digesti- 

 ble carbohydrates and digestible fat. When the first term of the ratio is 

 expressed as one, the second term is found by multiplying the fat by 2j, 

 adding to it the carbohydrates, and dividing this amount by the protein. 

 The digestible fat is multiplied by 2^ because fat is considered to yield 

 to the body 2j times as much energy as carbohydrates. 



For dairy cows, it has been found that a nutritive ratio between i H-S 

 and 1 : 6 seems to give the best results in milk flow. 



In order to compute a ration for a dairy cow weighing about one thou- 

 sand pounds, suitable food should be furnished in sufficient quantity to 

 yield about twenty-four pounds of dry matter, in which the relation of the 

 protein to the carbohydrates plus 2 1 times the fat is between 1:4.5 

 and 1 : 6. 



Care. — In addition to her food a good cow is entitled to six things from 

 her master: (i) kindness; (2) a clean, dry home; (3) plenty of light; (4) 

 pure air; (5) pure water; and (6) an abundance of salt. Every caretaker 

 of cows should see that these things are supplied, as well as that his cows 

 have plenty to eat. 



Every animal in a well-managed dairy herd will be so tame that the 

 owner and attendants can easily catch her in the open lot at any time. 

 A dog, be he ever so gentle, is of little use in connection with a dairy herd. 

 A club or a whip should have no place in a dairy bam. 



All the light and the pure air possible must be supplied. It is not costly 

 ^Q provide %ht iu ^ stable; geither i§ it very cQstly to provide efficient 



