6 9 8 



NUTRITION OF FARM ANIMALS 



makes the total net energy requirement per day 14 Therms on 

 the average of the whole feeding period. 



If we assume that 2 pounds of grain will be fed for each pound 

 of hay, it is easy to compute from the figures in the last column 

 of Table VII the amount of feed required to supply 14 Therms 

 of net energy, as follows : 



THERMS 



In TOO pounds of average clover hay 38.68 



In 200 pounds of corn-and-cob meal 151.60 



In 300 pounds of feed 190.28 



In i pound of feed 634 



To supply 14 Therms requires 14 -f- 0.634 = 22.08 pounds 

 of total feed, consisting of 7.36 pounds of clover hay and 14.72 

 pounds of corn-and-cob meal, or, in round numbers, 7^ pounds 

 of hay and 15 pounds of meal. 



This, of course, represents the average ration for the whole 

 feeding period. At the beginning the feed will naturally be 

 lighter and consist to a larger extent of hay, while the amount 

 of feed, and especially the proportion of grain, will be gradually 

 increased until, toward the end of the feeding, the animals are 

 consuming all the grain they will take, with only enough hay to 

 insure the necessary bulk and proper digestion. Naturally, 

 too, the form in which the corn is given will usually be varied 

 in the course of the feeding. 



801. Improvement of a ration. In the foregoing example 

 it was assumed that the feeding stuffs to be used had been 

 decided upon and attention was directed simply to the quantity 

 required. Let us now take up the question from the other end 

 and see whether a study of the ration may not yield some 

 suggestion of possible improvement. 



According to Table VII, clover hay and corn-and-cob meal, 

 respectively, contain in 100 pounds : 



