192 FEEDING OF FARM STOCK. 



the best for a given set of conditions, financial conditions 

 included, but they nevertheless have an importance as a 

 matter of guidance which the careful feeder cannot afford 

 to ignore. 



In Table IV is given some standards showing the diges- 

 tible nutrients required daily by farm animals per 1,000 

 pounds of live weight. 



BALANCED AND MAINTENANCE RATION. 



Another feeding term frequently used is "balanced ra- 

 tion. ' ' By this is meant a ration in which the protein, car- 

 bohydrates and fat are in the proper proportion for the 

 purpose intended. For instance, a ration which is bal- 

 anced for a working horse would not be balanced for a dry 

 cow, and that for a dry cow would not be balanced for a 

 cow giving ten quarts of milk per day. A ''maintenance'^ 

 ration is one containing just enough nutrients to maintain 

 the animal in good health Avithout gain or loss in weight. 

 It is, however, from the food over and above that required 

 for maintenance that the profit comes to the feeder. From 

 18 to 20 pounds of dry matter per 1,000 pounds of live 

 weight is required daily by horses and cattle for main- 

 tenance. The amount over and above that which can be 

 profitably used will vary with the individual animal. Most 

 animals will give a return in proportion to the food con- 

 sumed up to a certain limit, although some animals can and 

 do pass through their bodies a considerable amount of food 

 of which no use whatever is made. It is here that the 

 "eye" of the feeder must be used to determine just what 

 amount of food is being profitably used and what is merely 

 being eaten by the animal. From 6 to 10 pounds of dry 

 matter above that required for maintenance can be used 

 by the average animal daily. The terni "dry matter" in 

 this connection does not mean the total weight of feed used, 

 but means the total weight of the feed after the amount 

 of water it contains has been deducted. On account of the 

 w^idely var;y'ing amounts of water in the different feeds. 



