THE COMPOUNDING OF RATIONS 365 



standard for laying hens of the larger size: One pound of 

 cracked corn, f pound of wheat, f pound of corn meal, 5 

 pound each of wheat middlings, buckwheat middlings, and 

 animal meal, § pound of fresh bone, and | pound of young 

 green alfalfa. 



Computing Rations. — Rations are computed by trial, taking 

 the standard feedstuffs as basal and balancing them with such 

 feeds as will supply the deficiency of nutrients. By referring to 

 Taljle XLl, it is found that hens in full laying and weighing 

 between .3 and 5 pounds should be furnished with 0..3 pound 

 ash, 1 pound of digestible protein, 3.75 pounds of digestible 

 carbohydrates, and 0.35 pound of digestible fat for every 

 100 pounds of live weight. This has a nutritive ratio of 

 1 to 4.6. 



In an effort to formulate a ration giving the nutrients 

 in ])roper ]>r(i]>i)rti(ins and amounts, as a trial ration, 3 ])ounds 

 cracked corn, 1 ])onnd wheat, 1 ])ound cornmeal, 1 pound 

 oatmeal, 1 jxtmid l)ran, and § jxunidnieat scrap may be taken. 

 \ pon reference to the proper Table LIII, it is found that tliis 

 ration su])p!ies the following amounts and ]>ro])ortions of 

 the nutrients: Protein, 0.967 poimd; carbohydrates, 4.03 

 ])ounds; fat, 0..3L.'1 [jound, and ash, 0.175 pound, making the 

 total dry matter 5.49 pounds. The nutritixe rati<i is found 

 u])on calculation to l)e 1 to 5.1 ]iounds. 



Upon comparing this with the standard it will be noticed 

 that there is a negligible deficiency in total dry matter and 

 that the nutritive ratio is a little wide. In order to narrow 

 the ration, the amount of meat scrap may be increased to 0.7 

 pound. It will then be found that the ration supplies the 

 nutrients in approximately proper amounts and proportions, 

 save for a deficiency in ash which may be made up by hopper- 

 feeding, oyster shell or granulated I>onc. The vitamins may 

 be supi)lied by an abundance of green feed. 



REQUIREMENTS OF A RATION. 



In the feeding of poultry we may regard the fowl as a 

 physiological machine which manufactures eggs and meat. 

 The ration is the raw material from which the desired product 



