1180 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



This table is calculated on the supposition that all the nitro- 

 genous matter in the food is in the form of albuminoids, which 

 we have seen is never strictly the case, and the true albuminoid 

 ratio is therefore always rather lower than is here indicated. 

 With the rich foods, such as grains and cakes, this difference is 

 small, but with the poorer foods, such as roots and straw, the 

 difference is quite considerable. For example, the ratio of man- 

 gels is given as 1:8, while the real ratio, calculating only the 

 nitrogen contained in true albuminoids, is only 1 : 32. Unfor- 

 tunately experiments have not yet been pushed far enough to 

 make it possible to construct a complete table of ratios calcu- 

 lated from the true albuminoids only. 



Influence of Water in Foods. A certain amount of 

 water is necessary to the life of the animal, but if an excess is 

 contained in the food waste will be occasioned, as the water 

 must all be warmed to the temperature of the animal, and a 

 part must be evaporated through the skin. Considerable food 

 must be burned to produce the heat thus required. 



The proper proportion of water is for sheep, about two 

 parts to one of dry substance ; for cattle, four parts to one. 

 Cows giving milk require a still larger proportion of water. 



In feeding grains and dry fodder there is little probability 

 of supplying too much water, but in feeding roots alone the 

 quantity of water is liable to be greatly in excess of the ani- 

 mal's requirements. When an animal is fed exclusively on 

 turnips, a large part of the dry substance consumed will be used 

 in raising the temperature and evaporating the surplus water. 



Hence, roots should usually be fed in connection with dry 

 food, and when fed in this manner will give much better results 

 than when fed alone. 



Feeding. We have seen that food received by the animal 

 is used for six different purposes: 1. Repair of waste; 2. Pro- 

 duction of heat; 3. Production of energy; 4. Growth; 5. Pro- 

 duction of fat; 6. Production of milk. The food given will be 

 used for the first three purposes, and only the surplus beyond 

 what is required for these will be applied to the last three. 

 This rule is practically correct, yet in strict exactness there are 



