Business Considerations in Selecting Rations 293 



5. Rations should be compounded with reference to 

 the home supply of feeding stuffs and to market prices. 

 Economy often demands that the materials in hand 

 shall be used even if the ration is not ideal. Again, 

 there are several protein foods which may be used, 

 and it is often only a question of price in determin- 

 ing which should be purchased. Notwithstanding the 

 claims of manufacturers, there is no one feeding stuff 

 essential to the health of animals or to the highest 

 quality of the product, so that the feeder may often 

 consider the matter of cost and select the cheapest 

 source of protein without in any way impairing the 

 ration. 



Those who have carefuUj' followed the preceding 

 statements must have become convinced that the selec- 

 tion of a ration which shall be the best possible from 

 a business standpoint is not a simple matter. We 

 must always distinguish between the combination that 

 is most efficient physiologically or productively and 

 the one that is the source of largest i^rofit. It is often 

 the case — perhaps generally — that a food mixture 

 which induces a high rate of production is the most 

 profitable one to use, but this occurs only when 

 business conditions make it possible. Many seem to 

 think that if a ration is "balanced" it necessarily meets 

 all the requirements for the maximum profit, bnt this 

 is an erroneous view. 



For instance, a farmer somewhat remote from the 

 markets may have on hand an abundant supply of 

 hay and home -raised grams of such a character that 

 it is impossible to compound them so as to conform 



