The present inclination of dealers offering conventional bulk-feed de- 

 livery seems to be to limit deliveries to a minimum of two tons per farm 

 (and preferably per setting of the truck). The bulk-feed trucks in use in 

 the state generally have four compartments, each holding approximately 

 two tons of feed. The use of this heavy equipment for less than the two-ton 

 unit is probably impractical as a general rule, except where a limited num- 

 ber of one-ton loads could be worked into a route to maintain the total load 

 as near to capacity as possible. However, the minim^um delivery unit es- 

 tablished by the dealer will determine the availability of the service to the 

 farm. 



Whatever that minimum unit happens to be, there are two other points 

 which will affect availability of bulk-feed service. Many companies base 

 their sales policy in part upon supplying "fresh feed" to their customers. 

 In terms of nutritive values, such claims may sometimes be exaggerated. 

 However, there is insufficient experimental evidence upon which to reach 

 definite conclusions as to how long feed may be stored under farm condi- 

 tions without undue loss of palatability and/or nutritive content. Obviously, 

 if this is one week, rather than a month, it would have great bearing on the 

 minimum flock or herd size which could be bulk-serviced. For example, if 

 the feed dealer insists upon a minimum delivery of two tons and feels it 



Table 2. Number of Animal Units Required for Minimum Deliveries 

 of Bulk Feed Under Assumed Conditions 



Class of 

 Livestock 



54 



1,020 

 952 

 893 



10,000 



6,667 



4,000 



3,333 



2,500 



2,222 



1,818 



1,667 



1,429 



1,250 



1,176 



1,053 



1,000 



909 



833 



800 



800 



833 



869 



869 



36 



680 

 635 

 595 



6,667 



4,444 



2,667 



2,222 



1,667 



1,481 



1,212 



1,111 



952 



833 



784 



702 



667 



606 



556 



533 



533 



556 



580 



580 



27 



510 

 479 

 446 



5,000 



3,333 



2,000 



1,667 



1,250 



1,111 



909 



833 



714 



625 



588 



526 



500 



454 



416 



400 



400 



416 



434 



434 



426, V!b?e ^3°""'"' ''" ""^ """"»">'• G- B. Rogers and H. C. Woodworth, N. H. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 



2 Rate, of consumption from: G. E. Prick and W. K. Burkett, Farm Management Reference Manual, 

 University of N. H. Lxt. Service and BAE Cooperating, Ext. Circ. 307, Sept. 1953 p. 17. 

 * lota., p. 17, for mixed sexes. 



4 



