412 



THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



502. Maintenance rations for fowls. — ^A number of 

 feedings trials made at the New York Experiment Sta- 

 tion supply information relative to the amoimt of food 

 required for simple maintenance. The amount varies, 

 as might be expected, with the size of the animal. The 

 larger fowls required more food but much less for each 

 pound of live weight. These feeding trials did not cover 

 any molting-period and egg production was, for the time, 

 suspended. From the data sedu-ed maintenance rations 

 have been deduced which correspond very closely to 

 those actually fed for quite extended periods during 

 which practically no change in live weight occm-red. The 

 data were from an aggregate of 52 capons, averaging by 

 different lots from 9 to 12 pounds in weight, for 158 days' 

 feeding, and from 60 hens ranging from 3 to 7 pounds in 

 weight for 150 days' feeding. 



The rations are stated in the following tabulated form: 



Table LXXXV. Maintenance Rations. Digestible Nutri- 

 ents A Day fob Each 100 Pounds Live Weight 



Total dry 

 matter ' 



Ash 



Protein 



Carbohy- 

 drates 



Fat 



Fuel 

 value 



Nutritive 

 ratio 



Capons of 9 to 12 Ibs.wt 

 Hens of 5 to 7 lbs, wt. 

 Hens of 3 to 5 lbs. wt. 



Lbs. 

 2.3 

 2.7 

 3.9 



Lbs. 

 .06 

 .1 

 .15 



Lbs. 



.4 

 .5 



Lbs. 

 1.74 

 2. 

 2.95 



Lbs. 

 .2 

 .2 

 .3 



Cal. 

 4,600 

 5,300 

 7,680 



1:7.5 

 1:6.2 

 1:7.4 



503. Rations for laying hens. — ^Hens in full laying 

 seem to require rations which have a larger relative con- 

 tent of protein and ash, and which show an increase in 

 fuel value of from 15 to 40 per cent, according to size, 

 over those required for maintenance. The following 

 standards approximate the requirements for two general 

 groups not sharply separated. 



