MAINTENANCE: RATION AND BATTENINGS 



439 



Value of Non-Protein for Maintenance. Non-protein nutrients, 

 such as sugar, starch, fat, etc., fed alone, will decrease the destruc- 

 tion of body proteids by a starving animal to a certain extent, but 

 not entirely, and the animal will starve if so fed. A certain 

 quantity of proteids is essential. The most practical maintenance 

 ration is one which contains both protein and non-protein. 



Feeding for Maintenance. Work animals may be placed on 

 maintenance rations during periods of idleness; fat cattle, be- 

 tween end of fattening period and time of sale; grown animals, 

 until the time of fattening begins; and sheep kept for wool. 

 Young animals, cannot be placed upon a maintenance ration, as 

 a gain of flesh is the normal condition with them. 



The maintenance ration must provide sufficient energy and 

 sufficient proteids for replacement of flesh and fat, and the 

 growth of hair, horn, skin, and hoofs. It must be adjusted to 

 the size and condition of the animal, and other external condi- 

 tions, such as we have discussed. 



On account of the small quantity of kinetic energy and the 

 relatively high amount of heat required for maintenance, and also 

 because the feed should be bulky in order to satisfy the appetite 

 of the animal without carrying large amounts of nutriment, hays 

 and straws may be largely used. 



Standards for Maintenance. The following are the amounts of 

 food found necessary for maintenance per day and per 1,000 

 pounds live weight : 



These standards are based upon experiments such as those just 

 cited. Sheep must receive enough protein to provide for growth 

 of wool. Methods for calculating rations will be given in an- 



