A certain quantity of food is required to keep an animal alive and in health: this is called his necessary ration of food: if he has more he will gain flesh, or give milk or wool.

A horse usually requires 2 ½ per cent, of his live weight in hay per day if he has no other food; if he works, 3 per cent.: an ox, 2 per cent.; if he works, 2½ per cent. : a milch cow, 3 per cent. : a fatting ox, 5 per cent, at first; 4½ per cent, when half fat; and only 4 per cent, when fat; or 4½ on the an average. Sheep grown up take 3½ per cent, of their weight in hay per day, to keep in store condition.

Growing animals require more food, and should never be stinted.*

The table below shows the relative value of different articles of food, as ascertained by practice; good meadow hay being taken at 100.

The above table represents the average results from a number of experiments made in France and Holland.]