164 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE. 



for milch cows; while bran, dried brewers' grains, and 

 corn meal, can be safely fed in larger quantities. It is 

 desirable, when possible, to make the ration consist of 

 a small quantity each of a number of feeds, rather than a 

 larger quantity of one or two ; since it usually adds to the 

 palatability, lessens the danger of overfeeding, and per- 

 mits a frequent change of diet. 



Practical Methods of Using Balanced Rations. 

 Where the appliances for making weights at each feed 

 are not at hand, and it is preferable to measure, the dif- 

 ferent materials should be weighed at least once, and 

 the relation between a certain weight and a certain bulk 

 ascertained. The weight or measure of feed for a day's 

 ration for a herd may be mixed together in the propor- 

 tions given, and in feeding they should be distributed 

 in such a way as to give animals of different weights 

 and capacities for using food that amount best adapted 

 for them. In feeding dairy animals, where there are a 

 number of dry cows, the mixtures for each lot would 

 better be made separately. For horses, the grain or feed 

 rations for work and maintenance may each be mixed in 

 considerable quantities, and placed in separate bins. 



Exchange of Farm Products For Concentrated 

 Feeds. A comparison of the nutritive ratio of the 

 various natural farm products, hay, grain, straw, and 

 corn stalks or fodder and of the various feeding stand- 

 ards, as already indicated, shows that, with few excep- 

 tions aside from the maintenance ration, these contain 

 a decided excess of carbohydrates, or, in other words, 

 the nutritive ratio of the various farm products is too 

 wide when the purpose of feeding is increase in animal 



