294 



NUTRITION OF FARM ANIMALS 



going experiments, however, it may be permissible to assume, 

 as in the case of cattle, that about 52.8 per cent of the metab- 

 olizable energy of roughage and 55 per cent of that of mixed 

 rations was available for maintenance. The results of a com- 

 putation upon this basis are contained in the last column of the 

 following table. They possess a certain degree of interest, 

 although obviously they are of uncertain value. 



TABLE 49. ENERGY IN DAILY MAINTENANCE RATIONS OF SHEEP 



384. Comparison of sheep with cattle. It is of some interest 

 to compare the maintenance requirement of sheep with that of 

 cattle. Since the sheep is a much smaller animal than the steer 

 it naturally requires relatively more feed in proportion to its 

 weight (345), as the foregoing figures show to be the case. 

 As compared with a steer weighing 1000 pounds, ten sheep weigh- 

 ing ioo pounds each would require for maintenance, according 

 to the foregoing estimates, about 30 per cent more energy. 

 If, however, the comparison be made in proportion to the two- 

 thirds power of the live weight, i.e., substantially in propor- 

 tion to the body surface (347), a very different result is reached, 

 the maintenance ration of the sheep as thus computed amount- 

 ing to little more than 60 per cent of that of cattle. 



