PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN FEEDING 



practical application. The feeder who gains his knowledge 

 only through experience and from tradition, is long in gath- 

 ering it, and his knowledge of compounding rations is usu- 

 ally confined to the productions of but limited areas. 



The definition of a feeding ration does not necessarily 

 call for a balanced food. Nor does it imply that more than 

 one kind of food shall be used. Grass pasture, though it 

 may embrace but one variety of grass, is none the less a 

 food ration than one formed by blending any number of 

 foods. In some instances a single food may make a bal- 

 anced ration quite as effectively as a combination of foods, 

 since it may contain within it, not only the requisite propor- 

 tions of both nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous constituents 

 to effect a given end, but it may also contain the requisite 

 bulk that should accompany the feeding of the nutrients. 



Table of feeding stuffs. Feeding stuffs vary greatly 

 in their nutritive constituents, that is, they vary in the total 

 dry matter which they contain and in the proportion of the 

 nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous factors, as carbohy- 

 drates, fat and crude fibre, and in the proportions of these 

 that are digestible. They also vary in the relative propor- 

 tions of mineral matter which they contain, and in the pro- 

 portion of the nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous factors, as 

 protein, carbohydrates, fat and crude fibre, and in the pro- 

 portions of these that are digestible. They further vary 

 in the relative proportions of mineral matter which they 

 contain. Information regarding the relative amounts of 

 each of these factors have been obtained through analyses 

 made by the chemist of the various foodstuffs, and of the 

 proportions of the nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous factors 

 digestible in each instance. The proportion of these that 

 are digestible have been obtained from chemical analyses 

 based upon actual experience in feeding the respective foods. 

 The great value of such information to the practical feeder 

 will be at once apparent. These proportions are stated in 

 percentages, and for convenience of reference are collected 

 and given in tables in orderly sequence. Such a collection 

 is known as a table of feeding stuffs. Briefly then, a table 



