PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



hen will see that her ration is balanced by selecting the feeds 

 she needs. She cannot be fed with a spoon, or by exact rule or 

 measure. If the nutrients are placed before her in approxi- 

 mately the right proportion her own instincts will guide her 

 in selecting the food required. 



To furnish a ration suited to fattening fowls for. market, 

 it has been found that the nutritive ratio should be 1 : 3, 

 i.e., there must be a smaller proportion of starch, sugar and 

 fat than in the nutritive ratio for the laying hen. 



How is, the Nutritive Ratio Determined? 



From the observations already made it is easy to under- 

 stand that the nutritive ratio is the relation existing between 

 the protein and the carbohydrate, it is the comparison between 

 the weight of the nutrient protein and the nutrient carbo- 

 hydrate. 



How is this ratio determined? Simply by determining 

 the total weight of protein in all the materials of the ration 

 and then the weight of the carbohydrate in the same materials. 

 When that is done the comparison is easily made by dividing 

 the ratio by the number representing the weight of the 

 protein. To determine the weights in question it is necessary 

 to refer to the table showing the percentages of nutrients in 

 each variety of food. 



In determining the carbohydrate it is necessary to reduce 

 the fat to terms of carbohydrate. This is done by multiplying 

 by 2% and adding the product to the weight of the nitrogen- 

 free extract. The reason for this is that fat has the power to 

 produce two and one-fourth times as much heat and energy 

 as the same weight of nutrient carbohydrate. 



Illustration: A ration consists of 10 pounds of corn, 10 

 pounds of wheat, and 10 pounds of oats. What is the nutritive 

 ratio? 



By referring to the table given below, showing the per- 

 centages of nutrients, it is possible to determine the weight of 

 each nutrient. ,The following illustration shows how the prob- 

 lem is worked out and the nutritive ratio determined. 



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