New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 97 
The different individual records were all grouped and averaged 
according to variations in the fuel value above and below 30,000 
Calories per day per 1000 lbs. live weight. In general, with 
the food used, a ration with a fuel value of 30,000 Cal. would 
- contain 15 lbs. of total digestible organic matter. 
As would be expected the comparisons of rations on the basis 
of energy showed the same general tendencies evidenced by the 
comparison of somewhat related groupings made according to 
the amount of total nutrients, although the effect of the protein 
relation was more evident. 
Statement of the general results which accompanied changes 
in the fuel value of the ration will be found on p. 63 in the gen- 
eral summary. 
THE PROTEIN CONTENT OF THE RATION. 
In formulating rations more consideration has been always 
given to the protein than to other constituents both because it is 
so essential and because it is so seldom found in excess in the 
cheaper foods. The nutritive ratio is based upon the relative 
amount of protein. The absolute amount desirable in a ration 
has also been indicated in the standards. The data from the 
groupings of the different records made with relation to the 
absolute amount of protein are here presented. Those from 
comparisons made on the basis of nutritive ratio are later con- 
sidered. 
LITTLE CHANGR IN THE PROTEIN CONTENT. 
_ The average data from 91 records which covered periods when 
little change in the amount of protein was made, although there 
was some increase of the total organic nutrients in the ration, 
are found in Table XXI. The falling off in milk yield was less 
than the normal amount. The rate of gain in live weight was 
slow but somewhat faster before the change than after, 
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