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Direct Methods of Computing Rations¹

West Virginia University^,3

Abstract

Six methods of computing livestock rations which eliminate part or all of the trial-and-error element are presented. The first, method A, makes use of a value, the percentage of digestible protein in the T. D. N. The Pearson square, commonly used in standardizing cream, is employed and the pounds of T. D. N. from each of two feeds or groups of feeds is computed. From the pounds of T. D. N. from each source the pounds of each feed can be calculated.

Methods B, C, D and E are summarized in method F which is as follows:
in which R = desired nutritive ratio, R₁ = nutritive ratio of the carbonaceous feed, R₂ = nutritive ratio of the nitrogenous feed, P₁ = % digestible protein of the carbonaceous feed and P₂ = % digestible protein of the nitrogenous feed.

An example ration for a fattening growing pig is computed, using trio mixture and corn.

Direct methods of computation have been found useful in teaching students whose rapid progress is impeded by the trial-and-error method. Also they are helpful in grading students' papers to determine the extreme amounts of feeds possible within the feeding standards. Also, they can be used to compute exact experimental rations.

These methods need to be tried out under many conditions. It is hoped that improved modifications may be forthcoming from readers, and that a best method free from all trial-and-error processes and applicable to all conditions may be developed ultimately.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, as Scientific Paper No. 274.

² The author is indebted to Ralph W. Phillips and Bradford Knapp, Jr., of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Beltsville, Maryland, for helpful assistance in the preparation of this paper.

³ Animal Husbandry Department. Morgantown, W. Va.