HOW TO BALANCE A RATION 



143 



2 lbs. X 0.918 = 1.836 lbs. of dry matter. 



2 lbs. X 0.372 = 0.744 lbs. of digestible protein. 



2 lbs. X 0.169 ■"= 0.338 lbs. of digestible carbohydrates. 



2 lbs. X 0.122 = 0.244 lbs. of digestible fats. 



In the same way we arrive at the digestible amounts contained 

 in 6 lbs. of shelled corn, 6 lbs. of wheat bran and 10 lbs. of 

 timothy hay. , Then we add together the dry matter and digesti- 

 ble nutrients in the cotton-seed meal, shelled corn, wheat bran 

 and timothy hay and compare the result with the standard. 



Dry matter 

 pounds 



Digestible 

 protein 

 pounds 



Digestible 

 carbohy- 

 drates 

 pounds 



Digestible 



fat 



pounds 



2 lbs. cotton-seed meal 



5 lbs. shelled corn 



6 lbs. wheat bran 



10 lbs. timothy hay . . . . 



24 lbs. total 



1.836 



5-364 

 5-286 

 8.680 



21.166 



0.744 

 0.468 

 0.726 

 0.280 



2.218 



0-338 

 4.008 



2-352 



4-340 

 11.038 



0.244 



0.258 



0.162 

 0.140 



0.804 



To reduce the fat to terms of carbohydrates we must multiply 

 by 2.25. 0.804 X 2.25 = 1.809. 11-038 + I-809 = 12.847 lbs. 

 total digestible carbohydrates. 12.847 (total digestible carbo- 

 hydrates) -^ 2.218 (digestible protein) = 5.8. That is, the 

 nutritive ratio is i: 5.8. This trial ration is stated as follows: 



Dry matter 

 pounds 



Digestible 

 protein 

 pounds 



Digestible 

 carbohy- 

 drates 

 pounds 



Nutritive 

 ratio 



Ration . ■ . 

 Standard • 



21.166 

 23- 



2.218 

 2-3 



12.847 

 14-3 



1:5-8 

 1:6.2 



Balancing the Ration. — This trial ration is not entirely satis- 

 factory. It is almost correct for dry matter and near enough 

 to the standard in protein. It is too low in carbohydrates. We 

 must correct thg ration to make it more nearly approximate the 

 standard. Let us add 3 lbs. of timothy hay and see what effect 

 it has on balancing the ration. 



