COMPUTATION OF RATIONS 83 
are not digested with equal facility or completeness by different 
animals, even in the same herd and given the identical feeding 
stuffs. Moreover, it is impracticable to provide a ration for every 
individual in a herd. To do this would require as many different 
rations as there are animals to be fed, and definite weighings of 
every feeding stuff contained in the ration. But all this is unneces- 
sary, and no exponent of the balanced ration asks that it be done. 
13. What balanced rations accomplish._The aim of 
the balanced ration is to avoid serious faults in the use 
of feeding stuffs. Used on broad lines, 
the balanced ration enables the stock 
feeder to utilize to the best advantage his 
plant products or feed crops. In case he 
needs an additional supply, a bit of figur- 
ing will fully advise him as to what class 
of available purchased feeds he ought to 
buy in order to secure the greatest ef- 
ficiency from the food. 
14. What foods to choose.—On every © 
c Feep Dio IT 
farm some feeding stuffs are grown that The hogs were 
possess little commercial value. Corn ier. ine tne 
smaller of the two 
stover, the straws, legume hays, and ived its litte life on 
silage are all splendid bulk foods, are fellow nad corn and 
easily raised on the farm and should be 
used freely in ration making. They will supply also the 
greater part of the carbohydrates and fat. The farm is 
the best factory for the production of these fuel nutrients. 
In the legumes and cereal grains much of the protein may 
be obtained. Ifa protein shortage exists, it is good busi- 
ness to meet it, even though expensive concentrates must 
be purchased. 
15. Cost of the ration —The wise farmer will figure the 
cost of foodstuffs very carefully to find out what are most 
profitable to feed. It is often economy to sell some food 
having a wide nutritive ratio, such as timothy, corn, oats 
