Rations for Farm Stock. 



i53 



fat formation as 2*4 pounds of sugar (digested carbo- 

 -hydrates), the fats are multiplied by 2*4 to bring them to 

 carbohydrate value ; and the ratio of the albuminoid 

 matter in any food to this carbohydrate value is called 

 the albuminoid ratio of that food. For example, the albumi- 

 noid ratio of oats is said to be 1 to 6*9, that is 1 part 

 by weight of albuminoid matter to &g parts of fat and 

 carbohydrates both expressed in carbohydrate value or sugar 



'equivalent, or, as the farmer might say, one part of flesh-forming 

 food to nearly 7 of fattening food. Referring to the above Table 

 for the composition of oats, we find that they contain 8 per cent. 



•of digestible albuminoids, 4*3 of fat, and 447 of carbohydrates, 

 and to find the albuminoid ratio from these figures, we multiply 



.4*3 by 2-4 to bring the fat to carbohydrate value, and add the 

 result (10-32) to the 447 of carbohydrate, getting a total of 55*02 ; 

 then dividing this by the 8 of albuminoids we get as quotient 6y, 



•or an albuminoid ratio of ito 6*9 ; or expressed in arithmetical 

 form (4*3 x 2*4+447)-:- 8 = 6 - 9. A ratio is spoken of as narrower 



•or wider according as the difference between the two numbers 

 is less or more ; thus, 1 to 4 is a narrower ratio than 1 to 8. 



In devising rations for farm stock the following principles 

 have to be observed : — 



1. The albuminoid ratio required by a sucking animal is 

 about 1 to 3j, as in new milk ; by half-grown cattle and sheep, 

 growing and fattening at the same time, 1 to 4 or 5 ; by a cow 

 in full milk, or a growing and fattening pig, 1 to 5 or 6 ; and by 

 an adult animal simply fattening, or by a working horse, 1 to 8. 



2. Ruminant animals, as cattle and sheep, must have bulky 

 ;matter in their diets, such as grass, hay, straw and roots, and are 

 well capable of dealing with crude fibre like that contained in 

 straw and hay. Pigs, on the other hand, require a more concen- 

 trated food, and are not adapted for feeding on crude fibre ; and 



• even horses, while digesting corn quite as well as or even better 

 than sheep and cattle, can only digest straw to half and grass 

 and hay to four-fifths the extent that ruminants can. 



3. Cows require a diet that shall be somewhat relaxing to 

 the bowels, so that when grass is not available roots, old-land 

 hay, bran, or small quantities of linseed or treacle have to be 

 relied on for keeping them right in this matter. 



