172 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



of the nutrients will follow since they cannot be all re- 

 sorbed into the system, and energy is taxed in removing 

 the excess from the same. Nor can that happy equilibrium 

 in the process of digestion, assimilation and excretion be 

 attained, which is necessary to the best utilization of all the 

 food fed unless it is in balance, not only in its nutrients but 

 in the proportion of the bulk that accompanies the nutrients. 

 The definition of a balanced ration usually considers only the 

 balance of digestible nutrients, while the balance in bulk 

 and concentration may be of but little less importance. Cer- 

 tain foods have also a physiological influence in addition to 

 the nutrients they contain. The comprehensive definition, 

 therefore, of a balanced ration may be made to read thus : 

 A balanced ration is one in which the bulk and concentrates, 

 the nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous nutrients, and the 

 physiological influence which these exert in addition to their 

 food value, are present in that degree which will best pro- 

 duce the results sought from feeding them. The great im- 

 portance, therefore, of feeding foods in at least approxi- 

 mate balance is very evident. 



Information regarding the balancing of rations is ob- 

 tained from two sources ; viz., from the experience of feeders 

 and from a table of feeding standards (see p. 184). The first 

 of these sources is by no means to be despised, as an old 

 and experienced feeder, without any knowledge of feeding 

 standards, will frequently take foodstuffs and, guided only 

 by his own judgment, will obtain superior results from feed- 

 ing them to those obtained by the inexperienced feeder who 

 blends them in exact accord with what is called for in the 

 feeding standards. This result may not follow from any 

 error in the standards, but from the presence or absence of 

 the physiological influences referred to above, or because of 

 lack of equilibrium between the bulk and nutrition, or from 

 both causes combined. Notwithstanding, a knowledge of 

 feeding standards and of the way in which they may be util- 

 ized in feeding will always be of great service to those en- 

 gaged in this work, because of the wide range of its general 



