THE FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS 



181 



may be expressed 



12 % protein and 6 x 2^ + 45 carbohydrates 



= 12 P. and 60 cbds. = i to 5 



This brings us to the term " Nutritive ratio," 

 which means the proportion of digestible protein 

 to the digestible carbohydrates plus the digestible 

 fat reduced to carbohydrates equivalent. This 

 is found by dividing the percentage of carbo- 

 hydrates by the percentage protein as in above 

 example, which gives a nutritive ratio of one part 

 of protein to five parts of carbohydrates, expressed 



i ''5- 



Balanced Ration, 



The next question which presents itself is, how 

 much of the above nutrients must be provided for 

 the production of milk and maintenance of body 

 for a cow giving say 25 Ibs. of average quantity 

 milk daily ? According to Haecker, cows use 

 0*05 Ib. of protein to i Ib. of average milk, or to give 

 his table, "Feeders' Guide to Rations," we find 



Feeders ' Guide to Rations. 



