The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1918-03-02
TO BALANCE RATIoNs.

Economy in feeding live stock.
even in the face of unprecedented
feed crops, was never of greater inn
portance than to-day, in the. opinion
of specialists of the United States
Department of Agriculture. Not only
as a conservation measure but also
to insure the quickest and most ef-
ficient production of meat Is the
wise selection of feeds and mixing
of rations OF such Importance now.
That is the reason specialists of the
department have prepared for feed
ers a simple and workable method
of calculating well-balanced rations.
The method is described In detail In
Bulletin 637 of the department "a
Method of Calculating Balanced Ra-
tons
To reduce the problems involved
in selections of feeds on the basis
OF their nutriye values--which are
measured in terms of protein. car
bohydrate, fat and so on--in order
TO make them easy to apply in every
day farm feeding has not been sim
pie. Yet II Is believed that the new
method will greatly aid any farmer
who has fundamental knowledge
of feed values properly to mix farm
rations. Balancing a ration by the
directions given is q simple matter
of multiplication and division. Care
fully prepared tables, which are ac-
companied by the necessary direc-
tions for using. show the excess pro-
tein per pound for different protein
feeds when used In rations of vari-
GUS untritive ratios. and the protein
deficiency per pound of various car
bohydrate feeds as compared with
rations of specified nutritive ratios.
BY the use of these tables and others
which show cost values, the feeder
may determine by fixed rule the
most economical proportion In which
feeds may be mixed to give ration
of desire nutritive value.
1t is explained that the protein.
carbohydrate, and fat contents OF
feedstuff are not the only factors
affecting its feed value Proteins
differ in their nutritive qualities,
while some substances not included |
in the classes mentioned are neces- |
sary to the proper maintenance of |
the bodily functions. The palata- |
-bility and succulence of feed has !
much to do with its value as feed. !
Many feed stuffs have physiological /
effects entirely apart from their
nutritive qualities. A ration may be
perfectly balanced from the stand
point of relative content OF protein
and energy producers, and yet be
quite impracticable. the specialists
point out. because il Is too bulky or
too concentrated. Consideration OF
a feedstuff or a ration based only
on chemical composition. therefore,
is to be taken merely as a guide. il
is explained, to be followed in the
light OF all knowledge obtainable
about animal nutrition.
The selling price of feed is not
a reliable guide to its relative feed
ing value. The carbohydrate feeds
corn, oats, barley, kafr, and vari-
Gus others-and the protein feeds
cottonseed meal, tankage, and brew
ers' grains-are found on the mar
ket at various prices. The feeder
desires TO know. with certain given
prices. which is the cheapest feed to
buy-the true value of bushel of
oats, rye, or barley for feed when
iorn is worth 80 cents a bushel He
wishes to know the value OF ton of
brewers grains, linseed meal. or
bran when cottonseed meal Is worth
$50 a ton and corn 81 bushel BY
the use OF the tables presented in
the bulletin, which show compare
tive costs based on nutritive values.
these questions can be answered.