CHAPTER XXIV. 



FEEDING STANDARDS AND FEEDING. 



Feeding standards, as have previously been given, are placed in 

 the form of tables showing the quantity of the different nutrients 

 which should be fed to animals of the .various kinds. 



Basis of the Standards. The standards are based, first, upon 

 exact experiments to ascertain the needs of animals, such as de- 

 scribed in the preceding pages ; secondly, on feeding experiments 

 with various rations, carried on in large number and in various 

 parts of the world, in which the effects of the rations were deter- 

 mined; thirdly, on the experience of practical feeders of large 

 numbers of animals. 



What the Standards Represent. The standards represent the 

 rations which should, as a rule, give the best results. The in- 

 dividuality of the animal will be considered by the wise feeder, 

 and the ration adapted as may be necessary. The standards must 

 in no case be regarded as iron-clad rules, but are merely intended 

 to enable a feeder to start with a well-based, average ration. He 

 should then modify or adapt the ration to suit the requirements 

 of his animals. 



Suitability of Feed. Suitability of the feed must be consid- 

 ered. Some animals are able to take only small quantities of a 

 particular feeding-stuff, or none at all. The palatibility of the 

 food is also to be considered. A mixture of a number of foods 

 diminishes danger from any suspicious food, and distributes the 

 work of digestion over the different digestive organs. Every 

 change in food should be gradual, covering a period of 4 to 7 

 days, even when the change consists only in a change in quantity. 



The Nutritive Ratio. The nutritive ratio is the ratio of digest- 

 ible protein to digestible non-protein. We add together the 

 digestible crude fiber, the digestible nitrogen-free extract, and the 

 digestible ether extract multiplied by 2.25, and divide the sum by 

 the digestible protein. The following is an example : 



