SOME SCIENTIFIC TERMS IN FEEDING 57 



hydrates in corn, which gives 76.7 pounds of total 

 carbohydrates. This sum divided by the number 

 representing the quantity of protein, whirh in the 

 case of corn is 7.8 pounds, gives the final factor 

 of the ratio, or 9.8. 



In the form of proportion the stages are as follows : 



(1) The amount of protein is to the amount of the 



carbohydrates as I is to the factor to be 

 determined. 



(2) Protein : Carbohydrates : : I : x 



(3) 7.8 : (66.8 + 9.9) : : i : x 



(4) 7.8 : 76.7 : : i : 9.8 



The nutritive ratio of corn is therefore I to 9.8, 

 which means that in this feeding stuff for every 

 pound of digestible protein there are 9.8 pounds of 

 digestible carbohydrates and fat equivalent. 



Wide or Narrow Nutritive Ratio. A wide dif- 

 ference exists among feeds as to the proportion of 

 protein which they contain. The oil meals and the 

 legumes, especially their seeds, are rich in protein, 

 roots and straw very poor, while cereal grain and 

 their products occupy a middle place. These differ- 

 ences give rise to the terms wide and narrow nutri- 

 tive ratios which apply both to single feeds and rations. 

 A feed or a ration has a "narrow" nutritive ratio 

 when the digestible protein contained in it is high in 

 comparison to the carbohydrates and fat, and "wide" 

 when the reverse to this; that is, little protein and 

 much of the carbohydrates and fat. 



Balanced Ration. Since all feeding stuffs, with 

 the possible exception of pasture grass, are unfit as 

 single food substances, they naturally fall in a class 



