MAKING A BALANCED RATION 65 



into which consideration of a proper balance had not 

 entered: 



' ' Many feeders have asked us to explain what a 

 balanced ration is. There are three important groups 

 of substances in feeds— protein, carbohydrates, and 

 fat. Protein includes all materials in feeds which con- 

 tain nitrogen. It enters into the composition of milk, 

 blood, muscle, hair, and the brain and nerves, and is 

 necessaiy in the formation of these, and no other sub- 

 stance can take its place. Protein is also used in the 

 body in producing heat, energy, and fat. Carbohy- 

 drates include the fiber of feeds, the sugars, starch, 

 and gums, and furnish heat, energy, and fat to the 

 body. The fats in the food produce heat, energy, and 

 fat in the body. Carbohydrates and fat can take each 

 other's places, one pound of fat being worth 2.2 

 pounds of carbohydrates for production of heat in the 

 body. 



" Extended investigations have shown that to ob- 

 tain the best results feed should be given which will 

 furnish these materials in the following proportions: 

 'Dairy cow — protein, 2>^ pounds; carbohydrates, 12^ 

 pounds ; fat, J^ pound. Fattening steer — ^protein, 2^ 

 to 3 pounds ; carbohydrates, 15 pounds ; fat, J^ to ^ 

 pound. Growing cattle — ^protein, 4 pounds ; carbohy- 

 drates, 13^ pounds ; fat, 2 pounds ; for a young 

 animal, gradually decreasing the proportion of protein 

 until at the»age of two years the proportions are similar 

 to those for the fattening steer, but less in quantity, 

 A pig two to three months old needs feeds containing 

 seven and one-half pounds of protein to each thirty 

 pounds of carbohydrates and fat, while a year-old pig 

 needs seven and one-half pounds of protein to each 



