Ration Formulation
2/05/2001
ANS 336
1.Steps in Balancing a Ration
• Nutrient requirements generally represent
the minimum quantity of the nutrients that
should be incorporated.
• Factors to be considered
– Age
– Sex
– Body Size
– Type of production
– Intensity of production
2.Steps in Balancing a Ration
• Ruminants: Determine • Non ruminants same
what feeds are as Ruminant, but:
available and list their – Dry matter
respective nutrient – Protein
compositions • Essential AA
– Dry matter – Energy
– Protein • Essential Fatty acids
– Energy – Phosphorus
– Phosphorus – Calcium
– Calcium – Vitamin A,D, E and B
complex
– Vitamin A
– Minerals
– Vitamin D if confined
3.Steps in Balancing a Ration
• Feed cost
• Processing Cost
• Transportation Cost
• Storage Cost
• Antioxidant
• Refrigeration Cost
• Nutritive value loss with storage
4.Steps in Balancing a Ration
• Balance a ration that is useable.
– Can they eat that much, can they utilize that source of
the ingredient.
• Limitation of feed ingredients
– Consumption levels
– Limiting values such as: amount of forage that can be
consumed.
– Wheat as percentage of diet
– Cottonseed limitations
5.Steps in Balancing a Ration
• Convert to Dry Matter Basis:
1. Conversion of feed nutrients from an as fed to a
dry matter basis:
– a. Assume alfalfa silage analyzed 7 % crude
protein on an as-fed basis and contained 40% dry
matter. What percent crude protein would the
alfalfa contain when expressed on a dry matter
basis? The solution for this example can be
obtained by the following equation:
– % Nutrient ( As fed basis) = % Nutrient (dry matter basis)
% Feed Dry Matter 100 % dry matter
Methods of Formulation
• Square Method (Pearson Square)
• Trial and Error
• Simultaneous Equation Method
• 2 X 2 Matrix method
• Computer Method
• WAG Method – not recommended
Feeds Available
Ingredient TDN (%) Crude Protein
(As Fed basis) (%)
Alf. Hay, All Analysis 51.0 16.0
Corn Silage 18.0 2.2
Corn All Analysis 80.0 9.9
Oats, all analysis 69.0 11.9
Soybean Meal, 44% 76.0 44.4
Holstein Cow TDN and CP Req.
1433 lb BW, 65 lbs of milk, 4% Butter fat
Needs
TDN Crude Protein
(lbs.) (lbs) (g)
Maintenance 9.94 0.94 428
Milk 20.9 5.87 2,665
Production
Total 30.84 6.81 3,093
Determining Consumption
• Cow will eat about 2 % of her body weight
in forage
– 2 % X 1433 = 28.66 lbs
– 1.2 – 2 % of her body weight in Concentrate [ ].
– Hay is 14#
– Corn Silage is 14 #
• 40 X 35% (DM) = 14 #
From Forage
TDN Crude Protein
(Lb.)
Alfalfa, Hay 7.14 2.24
Corn Silage 7.2 0.88
Total from 14.34 3.12
Forage
Supplied
TDN CP
Needs 30.84 6.81
Forage 14.34 3.12
Remainder 16.5 3.69
Trial and Error Conc. Mix.
TDN CP
Corn, 700 # 560.0 69.30
Oats, 280 # 193.2 33.3
Monosodium - -
Phosphate
Salt - -
Total 753.2 102.60
Percent 75.3 10.3
Needs from Concentrate Mix
• Divide TDN from concentrate (16.5) by the
% TDN in the mixture (75.3).
– 16.5/0.753 = 21.9 lbs of TDN to meet energy
req.
• Multiply 21.9 times 10.3% CP in mix
– 21.9 X .103 = 2.26
– 3.69 (needed) – 2.26 = 1.43 still needed
• Substitute 175 # of SBOM to concentrate
mix. In place of that amount of corn .
Trial and Error Conc. Mix.
Weight TDN CP
(lbs.)
Corn 525 420.0 52.0
Oats 280 193.2 33.3
Soybean Oil 175 133.0 77.7
Meal (SBOM)
Monosodium 10 - -
Phosphate
Salt 10 - -
Total 1000 746.2 163.0
Percent 74.6 16.3
Trial and error - Guess
• 16.5 lbs / .746 = 22.1 of conc to supply 16.5
lbs of TDN
• 3.69 lbs protein needed/ .163 of protein =
22.63 = 22.63.
• Therefore, we feed 22.63 lbs of concentrate
to meet all requirements with a little extra
energy.
Supplied
Lbs. DM TDN Crude
Intake (lbs) Protein(CP)
Alfalfa, 14 12.6 7.1 2.2
90% DM
Corn Silage, 40 14 7.2 0.9
35% DM
Conc. Mix, 22.63 20.37 16.9 3.7
90% DM
Total 76.63 46.97 31.2 6.8
Holstein Cows consumption
• Cows will eat approximately 3.0 to 4.0 % of the
body weight in dry matter depending on the stage
of lactation.
• 2 % from Forage and the remainder from
Concentrate mixes.
• Next we need to figure the NDF amount to see
what level of forage she can consume. Consume.
• 1.2 % BW in NDF with 0.9 % from Forages and
0.3 % from Concentrates.
NDF requirements
• 1.2 % X 1433 = 17.2 lbs NDF
• 0.9 % BW from forage = 12.9
– 12.6 X 55.0 = 6.93
– 14.0 X 59.0 = 8.26
15.19
Pearson’ Square
• Simple nutrient needs are met with simple
feed formulas.
• Lesser values are subtracted from greater
values.
• Recorded diagonally.
• One feed must have a value higher than the
desired value and one must have a value
lower than the desired value.
Pearson Square
A
C =
B D
=
Total
A–X D
Need Percentage
B–X C
