INCREASE 199 



are required for each pound of fattening increase ; and of this 

 at least 10 per cent. (0*3 Ib.) must be protein. 



This may be expressed by formulae as follows : - 



N is the amount (Ibs.) of total digestible nutrients, P is the 

 amount (Ibs.) of protein, C the amount (Ibs.) of non-nitro- 

 genous nutrients reckoned as starch, and I the total fattening 

 increase (Ibs.) per day. 



The amounts of nutrients given above are for fattening 

 only, as apart from growth, maintenance, etc. To deduce a 

 feeding standard for fattening full-grown oxen, the nutrients 

 of the maintenance ration must be added. For oxen of 

 1000 Ibs. original live weight, increasing at an average rate 

 of 2 Ibs. per day, the feeding standard would be as follows : 



Digestible Nutrients. 



Protein. "Starch." 



Lbs. Lbs. 



For maintenance ..... 075 8*4 



,, fattening ...... o'6o 5^4 



Total .... 1-35 13-8 



The results obtained above agree closely with those of 

 other authorities, but they are open to the same objection as 

 all other feeding standards (p. 136). These need not now 

 be repeated, but it may be pointed out that the two funda- 

 mental considerations the maintenance requirements and 

 the rate of increase by which they are determined vary 

 independently of each other. As the live weight of the animal 

 increases, a larger maintenance ration is required. As the 

 animal gets fatter, a smaller proportion of the nutrients is 

 stored up. The feeding standard should not, therefore, be 

 the same throughout the fattening period. If the two portions 

 are calculated by the independent formulae from time to time, 

 the matter adjusts itself automatically. For the reasons given 

 above, however, the additions to the maintenance portion 

 should consist of the finer, more readily digestible foods 

 rather than of hay and coarse fodders. 



