FEEDING STANDARDS AND FEEDING 475 



Digestible Nitrogen-free extract 9.6 



Digestible crude fiber 14.7 



Digestible ether extract 22.4 X 2.25 50.4 



Total 74. 7 



Digestible protein 14.4 



Nutritive ratio I : 5.2 



The nutritive ratio is to be taken chiefly as an aid in calculating 

 the ration. The productive value of the ration, and its content 

 of proteids, are the important factors to be considered. The 

 nutritive ratio should not exceed 1 : 10 for ruminants or 1 : 12 for 

 hogs, but rations containing more protein can be used, if desired. 

 Protein is usually the expensive portion of a ration, but there are 

 localities in which feeds rich in protein are as cheap as other 

 concentrates, or cheaper. Such feeds may then be used in 

 moderate quantity for fattening or other productive purposes. 

 The nutritive ratio is given in the table mainly to aid in calculat- 

 ing the ration which contains a desired productive value 

 associated with a certain quantity of protein. With some feeds 

 it may be that the quantity of protein so calculated may exceed 

 the requirements of the standards, but if so, adjustment may be 

 made by the methods to be pointed out. 



Proteids. The amides and amido compounds have little value 

 for the production or repair of flesh. They may aid in the diges- 

 tion of food when there is a large quantity of non-protein com- 

 pared with the quantity of protein present, but otherwise they 

 apparently have little value. Hence it is better to base the ration 

 on its proteid content, and not on the protein. The standards 

 which we have given are based upon digestible proteids and not 

 on protein. 



Pat. The quantity of fat is not material, provided that it does 

 not exceed one pound per thousand live weight of the animal. 

 If it exceeds this limit, it may derange the digestion of the 

 animal. 



Ash. As a rule the food contains a sufficient quantity of ash 

 for the body, but the ash requires consideration in the case of 

 young animals. Young animals require lime and phosphoric 



