Principles and Practice of Stock Feeding 19 



adage says that "the eye of the master fattens his cattle." An old Vermont 

 feeder assured the writer some years ago that his cows did better when 

 he was around where he could " breathe on them." 



4. Non-standard feeding — What happens if the feeder follows no standard 

 other than his own sweet will? Perhaps— but very improbably — better re- 

 sults; more likely a poorer outcome. His ration may be suitable to his con- 

 ditions. It simply does not correspond with those which the experience 

 and judgment of others, the proposers of the sundry standards, have form- 

 ulated. Departure from standards, if in the direction of lessened food sup- 

 plies, is apt to result in lowered production, or, in some cases, in shrinkage 

 in bodily weight, or both. If the variation is not in amount, but in the 

 proportion of the sundry nutrients, there is likely to be waste of the in- 

 gredient fed in excess, lessened yield or weight, or, sometimes, a produce 

 tion other than the one desired, as, for instance, increase in the flesh rather 

 than in milk yield. If overfeeding is indulged in, if, for instance, too much 

 cottonseed or gluten meals are fed, affording an excess of protein, there 

 may be waste, the health of the animal perhaps may be endangered or 

 the quality of the product impaired. 



It has already been pointed out that the physiological standards take 

 no cognizance of economy, their aim being maximum production rather 

 than low cost, the most production rather than the cheapest. Emphasis 

 may again be laid on the fact that the individual feeder must determine for 

 himself whether the greater profit is likely to follow higher production- 

 coupled with greater cost, or lower yield linked with lessened expendi- 

 ture ; whether the use of a home-grown, and, usually, wide ration is wiser 

 than its supplement with purchased protein. It is safe to say, however, 

 that in the long run the weight of evidence favors approximate conformity 

 to standards if maximum yields are desired. 



5. Figuring a ration. — How may one formulate a standard ration ? 

 What data are necessary and what are the mathematics of the calculation ? 



The process is simplicity itself mathematically, and is essentially one of 

 " cutting and trying." Given certain roughages and grain feeds, definite 

 weights are provisionally chosen, the pounds and fractions of a pound of 

 total dry matter and digestible nutrients are added, and the result compared 

 with standard. If fairly close, well and good, if choices were wise ; if not, 

 addition or subtraction of some one or more may be made with a view of 

 improvement until the end is reached. The whole matter is most clearly 

 explained by example. As has been already remarked, table IV in the 

 appendix greatly simplifies the calculations. This table will be used and 

 the full process will then be explained later (page 22). 



