

A STUDY OF RATIONS FED TO MILCH COWS. 75 
RATION FOR A MILCH COW. 
A proper ratiow for a nilch cow would furnish the nutrients 
needed to form the materials of the body and the milk, and the 
energy required to do the necessary muscular work and keep the 
body warm. Just what weights of digestible protein, fats, and 
carbohydrates will, as a general average, meet these needs ts a 
matter of uncertainty. The following rations have been suggested 
as guides tn the practical feeding of mitch cows of a live weight of 
rooo pounds: 








German (Wolff) | Wisconsin. Sta- | Ration tentatively 
** Standard tion ‘* Standard suggested 
Ration.”’ Ration.”’ by the Writers. 
Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 
Organic matter, - - - 25.00 24.50 25.00 
Digestible protein, - - 2.50 2516 2.50 
Digestible fats, - - - .40 af .5 to .8 
Digestible carbohydrates, - 12.50 13627 13 to 12 
Calories. Calories. Calories. 
Fuel value, - - © = 29,600 31,250 31,000 
Nutritive ratio, - = - Pears: 1: 6.9 EVs GO 

The ration suggested by the writers ts founded upon the physt- 
ological standard of Wolff, with allowance for the abundance and 
cheapness of foods of high fuel value, t. e., those rich tn carbo- 
hydrates and fats, in the United States. The experience of the 
last two years would, however, indicate that, tn general, it is _ 
more profitable to feed a cow in ‘‘the flush’ rather more protein 
than the suggested ration calls for. The very decided trend of 
these experiments ts toward nitrogenous feeding .* | 
FEEDING STANDARDS AND INTELLIGENT FEEDING." 
The subject of cattle feeding ts a broad one. The experimenter 
can only lay down broad, general principles. The right applica- 
tion tn each case must depend upon the intelligence and care of 
the feeder. Specific rules to cover all cases and conditions are not 
known, nor are they possible. There is no ‘‘best ration’? for 
mulch cows or any other animals, 
Different breeds and different animals of the same breed differ 
widely in thetr demands for food and the use they can make of the 
nutrients tt furnishes. The food that is most profitable for a cow 
when she ts giving the largest amount of milk might be very 
unprofitable for the same cow near the end of the period of 
* Explanations of methods of calculating rations are given in the Report of this Station for | 
1893, pages 168-173. 

