ALBUMINOID RATIOS FOR FATTENING 199 



Although an excess of albuminoids does not increase 

 the nutritive value of a fattening diet, we have already 

 seen (p. 153) that if the proportion falls too low the 

 food is less thoroughly digested. 



Wolff recommends a more nitrogenous diet for fat- 

 tening sheep than for oxen or pigs. The ratio of 

 nitrogenous to non-nitrogenous substance which he 

 recommends for fattening sheep is 1 : 5*4, concluding 

 with 1 : 4*5. For pigs, 1 : 5*9 — 1 : 7'0, as the age and 

 w^eight increases. For oxen, 1 : 6'5 at the commence- 

 ment of fattening, to be reduced to 1 : 5'4 when 

 fattening in earnest has set in, and concluding with 

 1 : 6*2. In all these ratios, however, the amides have 

 been reckoned as albuminoids ; they are thus narrower 

 than the truth, the error falling chiefly on those for 

 sheep and oxen. Practical results show that very good 

 rates of increase may be obtained with much smaller 

 proportions of albuminoids than those recommended 

 by Wolff, if cereal grains form a considerable part of 

 the diet. In Kellner's experiments with oxen, the 

 rates of increase were practically the same with ratios 

 varying 1 : 4 — 1 : 10. A three years' trial at Woburn 

 proved that a daily ration of 20 lbs. swedes, ^ lb. 

 hay, and | lb. wheat for sheep (nitrogenous substance 

 to non-nitrogenous 1 : 7 — 1 : 8, albuminoid ratio about 

 1 : 19) yields excellent results, generally equal to those 

 obtained when oilcake is substituted for wheat. 

 For another Woburn experiment illustrating the 

 subject see p. 162. The economy of any diet cannot, 

 however, be decided without taking into account the 

 value of the manure produced. From this point of 

 view, fattening with cake or leguminous corn may be 

 more to the farmer's advantage than the employment 

 of cereal grains. 



