Computing Rations for Farm Animals 



1593 



Here the nutritive ratio is a little narrower than is necessary according 

 to the standard. Whether it should be changed would depend very 

 largely on the relative cost of corn and wheat middlings; if corn were 

 cheaper, it would be advisable to feed 24 pounds of corn and 12 pounds 

 of wheat middlings, which would change the nutritive ratio to about 1 : 6.3, 

 as called for by the standard. It is intended, in a ration such as the 

 above, that the wheat middlings shall be fed as a slop mixed with 

 water. The com would be fed whole. If skimmed milk or buttermilk 

 were available, of course less middlings would be necessary. 



A ration for a dairy cow. — A ration is desired for a dairy cow weighing 

 1,200 pounds and yielding 36 pounds of milk per day which tests 3.6 

 per cent butter fat. The requirements for this ration will be: 



21.185 — 3.058 = 18.127 

 18.127 -S- 3.058 = 5.9 



The nutritive ratio required is 1 : 5.9. It has been said that in for- 

 mulating the dairy ration about two thirds of the dry matter shall be 

 in roughage and one third shall be in grain. For dairy cows, one fifth 

 to one third of the dry matter should be in a succulent food. There shall 

 be not less tha:' 24 pounds of dry matter in order to have sufficient bulk 

 in the ration, and the nutritive ratio shall be not wider than 1 : 6. With 

 these factors in mind the following ration is suggested to meet the above 

 requirements : 



