1880.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
9 
•tleman to establish a system of tests of pure-bred 
dairy cows, to the end that their character, quality, 
aDd value may be associated in the record with their 
pedigree. Then, any uninitiated purchaser even, 
may be able to know as much from a perusal of the 
record as any expert, and a cow’s genealogy will 
be accompanied by an authenticated statement of 
the accomplishments of her progenitors. This 
seems to be all that is needed to make a record 
perfect, and we think it is a happy conception. 
Science Applied to Farming, LIIL 
Economy in Cattle Feeding, Composition of 
Foods, Feeding Standards and Bations for 
Farm Animals. 
In last month’s American Agriculturist, page 497, 
was given a Table of “ Composition, Digestibility, and 
Nutritive Values of Feeding Stuffs, from a larger one 
by Wolff in the German “Farmers’ Almanac for 
1880.” That table gave the average amounts of the 
food ingredients, albuminoids, carbohydrates, and 
fats contained in different foods, and likewise the 
amounts of these that are, from feeding trials, 
estimated to be actually digestible. It is the di¬ 
gestible parts of the food that supply the wants of 
the animal, that are made over into flesh and fat, 
skin and bone, milk and progeny, and are used to 
produce heat to keep the body warm, and muscular 
power for work. It is with these, therefore, that 
we have mainly to do in feeding. 
Feeding Standards. 
Having noted how much of the nutritive ingredi¬ 
ents our feeding stuffs contain, the next step is to 
learn how much of each different animals need for 
maintenance and for production of meat, milk, 
work, etc. The German experimenters have studied 
into this matter very carefully, in two ways : first, 
by experiments, feeding animals with different 
kinds and amounts of food, and noting the effects; 
second, by observing the methods and results of 
feeding, as practised by the most successful farm¬ 
ers. On the basis of these two kinds of observa¬ 
tions feeding standards have been calculated, as 
shown below. In brief, it has been found that full- 
grown oxen, at rest in the stall, can be kept for long 
periods in fair condition with food of such sort as 
to supply them, per 1,000 lbs. live weight, with 0.6 
lbs. albuminoids, and 7.0 lbs. carbohydrates, in 
forms to be digested and taken into the circulation. 
It has been found well to have this supplied by 
14—15 lbs. dry substance in the food. With rations 
furnishing these amounts of digestible ingredients, 
there has sometimes been observed a slight im¬ 
provement, but perhaps oftener a small falling 
off in condition. It appears on the whole, bet¬ 
ter to increase the ration, so as to give 0.7 lbs. 
nitrogenous, and a little over 8 lbs. non-nitrogenous 
nutrients, with a nutritive ratio of 1:12. It seems 
to make little difference in what forms these are 
given, whether in hay, straw, oil-meal, or otherwise, 
provided the food be wholesome and palatable. 
These materials suffice to make up for the wastes 
of the animal’s body, to keep it warm, and to pro¬ 
duce the small amount of muscular power needed 
when the animal is at rest. 
If, now, the ox is to be worked or fattened, food 
for production of meat or force is required. Or if, 
instead of an ox, we have a milch cow, she will 
need food for production of milk, in addition to 
what is necessary to maintain her body in good con¬ 
dition. And this food for production must be not 
only larger in quantity, but different in quality ; it 
must have a larger proportion of albuminoids,—as 
the German’s say, the nutritive ratio must be nar¬ 
rower. Thus Wolff recommends for a daily ration 
for milch cows, per 1,000 lbs. live weight, 2.5 lbs. 
digestible albuminoids, 12.5 digestible carbohy¬ 
drates, and 0.4 lbs. digestible fats, with a nutritive 
ratio of 1:5.4. This is just about what would be 
contained in 30 lbs. of fine quality, young, cut hay, 
or 120 lbs. of young grass, either of which would 
make a very good daily ration for a milch cow. 
The following table by Wolff, from the “ Farmers’ 
Almanac” referred to, gives feeding standards for 
various domestic animals. The first column gives 
the total amount of organic substance—that is, the 
whole food, less water and ash, in the daily ration. 
The next three columns give the amounts of di¬ 
gestible albuminoids, carbohydrates, and fats. The 
fifth column, “ Total nutritive substance,” is the 
sums of the digestible nutriments in the previous 
three columns. The last column gives the ratio of 
albuminoids to carbohydrates, or the Nutritive ratio. 
Feeding Standards. 
s . 
Nutrative ( di¬ 
gestible ) sub¬ 
stances. 
•S 
•2 
KIND OF ANIMAL, WEIGHT, 
AGE, ETC. 
I Total org 
subslant 
, 
Si 
£ © 
A's 
O 
1 
Total nu 
substanc 
•2 
£ 
£ 
A.—Per Day and per 1,000 
lbs. 
fts. 
tbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
as 
lbs. Live Weight. 
1 : 
1. Oxen at rest in stall_— 
17.5 
0.7 
8.0 
0.15 
8.85 
12. 
2. Wool sheep, coarser breeds. 
20.0 
1.2 
10.3 
0.20 
11.70 
9. 
“ “ liner breeds. 
22.5 
1.5 
11.4 
9.25 
13.15 
3. 
3. Oxen, moderately worked... 
24.0 
1.6 
11.3 
0.30 
13.20 
7.5 
“ heavily worked. 
26.0 
2.4 
13.2 
0.50 
16.10 
6. 
4. Horses, moderately worked 
22.5 
1.8 
11.2 
0.60 
13.60 
7. ■ 
“ heavily worked. 
25.5 
2.8 
13.4 
0.80 
17.00 
o.a 
5. Milch cows. 
21.0 
2.5 
12.5 
0.40 
15.40 
5.4 
6. Fattening oxen, 1st period... 
“ “ 2d “ 
27.0 
2.5 
15.0 
0.50 
18.00 
6.5 
26.0 
3.0 
14.8 
n 70 
18.50 
5.5 
“ “ 3d “ 
25.0 
2.7 
14.8 
0.60 
18.10 
6.0 
7. Fattening sheep, 1st period. 
“ “ 2d “ .. 
26.0 
3.0 
15.2 
0.50 
18.70 
5.5 
25.0 
3.5 
14.4 
0.50 
18.50 
4.5 
8. Fattening swine, 1st period.. 
“ 2d “ .. 
36.0 
5.0 
2 
7.5 
32.50 
5.5 
31.0 
4.0 
20.0 
28.00 
6.0 
“ “ 3d “ .. 
23.5 
2.7 
17.5 
20.20 
6.5 
9. Growing cattle: 
Age. Average live 
months, weight,® head. 
22.0 
4.0 
4.7 
2—3 150 n>s. 
13.8 
2.0 
19.8 
3— 6 300 “ . 
23.4 
3.2 
13.5 
1.0 
17.7 
5.0 
6—12 500 “ . 
24.0 
2.5 
13.5 
0.6 
16.6 
6.0 
12—18 700 “ . 
24.0 
2.0 
13.0 
0.4 
15.4 
7.0 
18—24 850 “. 
24.0 
1.6 
12.0 
0.3 
13.9 
8.0 
10. Growing sheep: 
28.0 
15.6 
0.8 
19.6 
5.5 
5— 6 56 lbs. 
3.2 
6- 8 67 “ . 
25.1 
2.7 
13.3 
0.6 
16.6 
5.5 
8—11 75 “ . 
23.1 
2.1 
11.4 
0.5 
14.0 
6.0 
11—15 82 “ . 
22.5 
1.7 
10.9 
0.4 
13.0 
7.0 
15—20 85 “ . 
22.0 
1.4 
10.1 0.3 
12.1 
8.0 
Growing, fat pigs: 
42.0 
7.5 
4.0 
2— 3 50 “ .. 
30.0 
37.5 
3—5 100 “ . 
31.0 
5.0 
25.0 
30.0 
5.0 
5—6 125 “ .. 
31.5 
4.3 
23.7 
28.0 
5.5 
6—8 170 “. 
27.0 
3.4 
20.4 
23.8 
6.0 
8 12 250 “ . 
21.0 
2.5 
16.2 
18.7 
6.5 
B.— Per Day and pf.e Head. 
Growing cattle: 
2—3 150 lbs. 
3.3 
0.6 
2.1 
0.30 
3.00 
4.7 
3 — 6 300 “ . 
7.11 
1.0 
4.1 
0.30 
5.40 
5.0 
6—12 500 “ . 
12.0 
1.3 
6.8 
0.30 
8.10 
6.0 
12—18 700 “ . 
16.8 
1.4 
9.1 
0.28 
10.78 
7.0 
18-21 850 “ . 
20.1 
1.4 
10.3 
0.26 
11.96 
8.0 
Growing sheep : 
1.6 
0.18 
0.87 
0.045 
1.095 
5.5 
6- 8 67 “ . 
1.7 
0.17 0.85 
0.010 
1.060 
5.5 
8—11 75 “ . 
i.r 
0.16 0.85,0.037 
1.017 
6.0 
11—15 82 “ . 
1.8 
0.14 0.89 0.032 
1 .062 
7.0 
15—20 85 “ . 
Growing, fat swine: 
1.9 
0.12 0.88.0.025 
1.047 
8.0 
2— 3 50 tbs. 
2.1 
0.38 
1.50 
1.88 
4.0 
3-5 100 “ . . 
3.*! 
0.50 
2.50 
3.00 
5,0 
5—6 125 “ . 
3.9 
0.54 
2.96 
3.50 
o.a 
6-8 170 “ . 
4.6 
0.58 
3.47 
4.05 
6.0 
8—12 250 “ . 
5.2 
0.62' 4.05 
4.67 
6.5 
Practical Application. Calculation of Daily 
Bations for Farm Animals. 
medium quality hay and oat straw, and add enough 
wheat bran to keep them in good store condition. 
By the above figures there will be contained in : 
Albu- Carbohy- 
minoids. 
drates. 
Fats. 
Total. 
6 lbs. medium hay 
.0.32 
lbs. 
2.5 lbs. 
0.06 
11)8. 
2.88 
lbs. 
12 lbs. oat straw_ 
.0.17 
lbs. 
4.8 lbs. 
0.08 
lbs. 
5.05 
lbs. 
2 lbs. wheat bran. 
.0 25 
lbs. 
0.8 lbs. 
0.05 
lbs. 
1.10 
lbs. 
Whole daily ration. 
.0.74 
lbs. 
81 lbs. 
0.10 
lbs. 
9.03 
lbs. 
Standard ration.... 
. 0.8 
lbs. 
8.0 lbs. 
0.15 
lbs. 
8.85 
lbs. 
That is, 6 lbs. of medium hay, 12 lbs. oat 6traw, 
and 2 lbs. wheat bran, will furnish just about the 
quantities of digestible albuminoids, carbohydrates, 
and fats, that the standard per day for 1,000 lbs., 
live weight, requires. 
My friend and former assistant, Prof. W. H. 
Jordan, of the Maine Agricultural College, has 
made use of the feeding standards above given, in 
calculating the following rations for various farm 
animals. It is not meant that just these propor¬ 
tions must be used. There are wide variations in 
the composition, digestibility, and flavor of the same 
feeding stuffs. So likewise the individual peculiari¬ 
ties of the animals, their size, condition, varying 
capacities for digesting, and more especially, for 
their food, differ greatly. Hence the rations need to 
be adapted to particular cases. The important thing 
is to mix the foods on hand, or to be bought, so as to 
secure the best results at the lowest cost. These are 
simply examples of mixtures that contain the nutri¬ 
ents in about the proportions believed to be best 
adapted to the purpose. I cannot give what seems 
to me the right view of this system of calculating 
food-rations, better than in the words of a shrewd 
and intelligent German farmer, who has had con¬ 
siderable experience in their use: “As indications 
of what is best, they are invaluable; to follow them 
blindly would be folly.” 
Daily Bations for 1,000 lbs. Dive Weight. 
A. Maintenance, Foddf.k for full grown, labor- 
free Oxen. 
lbs. No A. lbs. No. 2. lbs. No. 3. 
6 Med. meadow hay 5 Clover hay, best 6 Poor Timothy 
12 Oat straw 18% Wheat straw 17 Corn stalks 
2 Wheat bran A Linseed cake 4 Corn meal 
lbs. No. 4. 
1ft Oat straw 
20 Potatoes 
1 Cotton-seed meal 
lbs. No. 5. 
10 Poor Timothy 
20 Sugar beets, 
2 Corn Meal 
lbs. No. 6. 
6 Clover lmy, best 
15 Oat straw 
B. Fodder for Oxen at moderate work. 
lbs. No. 7. lbs. No. 8. lbs. No. 9. 
20 Good meadow hay 20 MedinmTimothy 12 Good meadow 
6>4Cornmeal 2 Coarse bran 13 Oat straw Lhay 
4 Corn meal 3 Linseed cake 
lbs. No. 10. 
12 Clover hay, best 
10 Rye straw, 
22 Potatoes 
lbs. No. 11. lbs. No. 12. 
12 Clover hay, good 10 Clover hay, best 
10 Wheat straw 14 Oat straw 
7 Wheat bran 20 Mangolds 
1 Cotton-seed meal 
C. Fodder for Oxen at severe work. 
To use the feeding standards, let us take some of 
the feeding stuffs in the table last month, and leav¬ 
ing out of account the water, ash, and total amount 
of the ingredients, note the amounts of digestible 
ingredients, as shown in the condensed table below. 
Digestible Ingredients of Fodder Sluffs. 
KIND 
OF 
FODDEE. 
DIGESTIBLE FOOD 
INGREDIENTS. 
© 
|1 
Fat. 
•5 
£ 
I. Hay. 
°/o 
% 
% 
as 1 : 
Meadow Hay, poor. 
8.4 
34.9 
0.5 
10.6 
“ “ medium. 
5.4 
41.0 
1.0 
8.0 
“ “ very good. 
7.4 
41.7 
1.3 
6.1 
Red Clover, poor. 
5.7 
37.9 
1.0 
7.1 
“ “ medium. 
7.0 
38.1 
1*2 
5.9 
“ “ very good. 
8.5 
38.2 
1.7 
5.0 
II. Straw. 
Winter Wheat. 
0.8 
35.6 
0.4 
45.8 
Winter Eye. 
0.8 
36.5 
0.4 
46.9 
Oat... 
1.4 
40.1 
0.7 
29.9 
III. Boots ahd Tubers. 
Potatoes. 
1.1 
22.8 
0.2 
21.6 
Sugar Beets. 
1.0 
16.7 
0.1 
17.0 
Turnips. 
1.1 
6.1 
0.1 
5.8 
IV. Manufacturing and 
Waste Products, etc. 
Sugar Beet Cake. 
1.8 
24.6 
0.2 
13.9 
Malt Sprouts. 
12.8 
51.6 
1.7 
4.7 
Wheat Bran, coarse. 
12.6 
42.7 
2.6 
3.9 
Rye Bran. 
12.2 
46.2 
3.6 
4.5 
Linseed Cake. 
24.8 
27 5 
8.9 
2.0 
Palm Nut Ca e. 
16.1 
54.4 
9.5 
4.9 
Cotton-seed Cake. 
17.5 
14.9 
5.5 
1.7 
Cotton-seed Cake, decorti’d — 
31.0 
18.3 
12.3 
1.6 
Flesh Meal. 
69.2 
11.2 
0 4 
lbs. No. 13. lbs. No. 14. lbs. No. 15. 
20 Best meadow hay 17 Clover, good 2ft Medium meadow 
10 Corn meal 3 Wheat bran 3 Wheat bran [bay 
10 Corn meal 3 Linseed cake 
D. Winter fodder For. Milch Cows. 
lbs. NoA6. lbs. No. 17. lbs. No. 18. 
20 Best meadow hay 20 G ood clover 17 B’st meadow hay 
5 Wheat bran 20 Beet pulp 16 Corn stalks 
3 Palm-nut meal 2 C'ttun-seed meal 3 Wheat bran 
2 Cott'n-seed meal 
lbs. No. 19. 
10 Clover hay.best 
15 Poor Timothy 
20 Turnips 
314 Linseed cake 
lbs. No. 20. 
20 Hungarian hay 
21) Mangolds 
3 Wheat bran 
2 Linseed cake 
lbs. No. 21. 
20 Clover hay, best 
2K Wheat bran 
00 Turnips 
lbs. No. 22. lbs. No. 23. 
10 Best meadow hay 20 Clover hay.med. 
15 Wheat straw 30 Mangolds 
ft Wheat bran 4 Malt sprouts 
3K Cotton-seed meal 
lbs. No. 24. 
20 Clover hay, best 
30 Turnips 
6 Corn meal 
Fodder for Growing Cattle, one to two years old. 
lbs. No. 25. lbs. No. 26. lbs. No. 27. 
15 Med. meadow hay 20 Oat straw 15 Medium meadow 
18 Rye straw 30 Turnips 20 Corn stalks [hay 
2 Cotton-seed meal 5 Wheat bran 1% Meat scrap 
2 Cotton-seed meal 
lbs. No. 28. lbs. No. 29. lbs. No. 30. 
10 Good clover 20 Poor meadow 20 Good meadow 
10 Oat straw 20 Potatoes [hay 20 Mangolds [hay 
8 Corn stalks H* Dry ground fish 5 Coarse wheat 
2 Cotton-seed meal [bran 
G. Fodder for Fattening Cattle. 
lbs, No. 31. 
22 Clover hay, best 
8 Corn meal 
lbs. No. 34. 
20 Best meadow hay 
30 Sugar-beet pulp 
2 Linseed cake 
lbs. No. 32. lbs. No. 33. 
20 Medium meadow 20 Good meadow 
10 Oat straw [hay 100 Pumpkins [hay 
30 Mangolds 3%C’tt’n-seed meal 
3)4 Cotton-seed meal 
lbs. No. 35. lbs. No. 36. 
22 Best meadow hay 15 Clover hay. best 
50 Turnips 10 Barley straw 
5 Corn meal 40 Mangolds 
3 Linseed cake 
Fodder for Sheep, producing wool. 
lbs. No. 37. lbs. No. 38. 
15 Clover hay, good 10 Medium hay 
10 Poor hay 15 Bean straw 
3 Oats 4 Corn 
lbs. No. 39. 
20 Pea straw 
20 Potatoes 
2 Cott’n-seed meal 
lbs. No 40. 
20 Oat straw 
30 Mangolds 
l‘A Dried flesh 
Ib.s. No. 41. 
10 Best clover 
10 Barley straw 
114 Fish scrap 
lbs. No. 42. 
20 Poor mead'w hay 
6 Clover hay, best 
4 Corn 
Suppose now that I wish to feed my oxen that 
are standing in the stable doing no work, on 
W. O. Atwater, 
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. 
