FEEDING STANDARDS— CALCULATING RATIONS 87 



already receiving laxative feeds, such as corn silage, pasture grass, and 

 legume hay, the use of bran or linseed meal may be unwise. 



In computing rations one should therefore always learn whether the 

 feeds under consideration are satisfactory for the given animals. The 

 value and suitability of all important feeds for the various classes of 

 stock are discussed in Part II of this book and more detailed informa- 

 tion concerning their use with each kind of stock is given in Part III. 



Bulkiness of ration. — We have already seen in Chapter IV that at 

 least with the horse and with young ruminants the ration must contain 

 some roughage to distend the digestive tract properly. Furthermore, 

 for the best results, the proportion of concentrates and roughages in 



Fig. 27. — A Eation Which Is Fair, But Lacks Succulence 



This ration of 20 lbs. red clover hay, 4 lbs. corn meal, and 3 lbs. oats furnishes 

 no more digestible nutrients than the previous one, but -will give better results, 

 because the clover hay is more palatable to cows than timothy hay. Cost 22 

 cents. (From Humphrey, Wisconsin Station.) 



the ration should be regulated according to the kind and class of animal 

 to be fed and the results desired. Cattle, sheep, and horses can be 

 wintered satisfactorily on roughages alone, if of suitable quality, and 

 even brood sows may be maintained chiefly on legume hay, when not 

 suckling their young. On the other hand, a considerable part of the 

 rations for growing and fattening animals and those at work or in 

 milk should consist of concentrates. To fatten animals rapidly con- 

 siderably more concentrates must be fed than when they are fattened 

 more slowly. Similarly, horses at hard work should be given more 

 grain and less roughage than those working but little. 



