PEARSON SQUARE

Balancing a Ration
Pearson Square
 Useful tool for simplifying and balancing
of rations

 It shows the proportions or percentages

of two feeds to be mixed together to
give a percentage of the needed
nutrient
Pearson Square
 A feeding standards table shows that a
18% crude protein ration is needed.
 Corn and Soybean Meal (SBM) are
selected as feeds.
Pearson Square
 A feed composition table shows

Corn has 8.9% crude protein

SBM has 44.4 % crude protein

Pearson Square

 How much corn and soybean meal need

to be mixed together for 2000kg of feed
Pearson Square

Step 1 -Draw a 1 to 2
inch square. Place
diagonal lines across
the square.
Pearson Square
 Step 2 – Write the
percentage of crude
protein needed by
the animal in t he
center of the square 18.0
where the diagonal
lines cross
Pearson Square
 Step 3 –Write the
feeds to be used at  Corn
8.9%
each corner. Place 

the percent of crude

protein in the feeds 18.0
after the name of
the feed
 SBM
 44.4%
Pearson Square
 Step 4 – Subtract  Corn 26.4 parts
8.9 % corn
the smaller of the
numbers from the
larger numbers.
(This involves crude 18.0
protein needed by
the animal and that
provided by the
feed.) Write the  SBM 9.1 parts
difference in the  44.4% SBM
opposite corners
Pearson Square
 Step 5 – The numbers at the two right
corners are parts of the two feed
ingredients that are needed.

 26.4 parts corn

 +9.1 parts soybean meal (SBM)
 35.5 total parts
 Pearson Square
 Corn 26.4 parts corn
 8.9% 35.5 total parts

18.0

 SBM 9.1 parts SBM

 44.4% 35.5 total parts

Pearson Square
 Step 6 – The percentage of each feed
needed in the ration can be found by
dividing the number of parts by the
total parts, then multiply by 100.

 26.4/ 35.5 = .744 x 100 = 74.4% corn

 9.1/ 35.5 = .256 x 100 = 25.6% sbm
Pearson Square
 Corn 26.4 parts corn
 8.9% 35.5 total parts
74.4%

18.0

 SBM 9.1 parts SBM

 44.4% 35.5 total parts
25.6%
Pearson Square
 Step 7 – The amount of each feed
ingredient for a large batch of feed is
determined by multiplying the
percentage of each by the total amount
of feed desired
Pearson Square
 Our batch of feed = 2000kg

 2000kg x .744 = 1488 # Corn

 2000kg x .256 = 512 # SBM

2000kg 0f feed @ 18.% Crude Protein

Pearson Square

45
The Pearson Square
 Cannot balance rations by trial and
error
 Pearson Square simplifies balancing
rations
 Can only use two feeds at a time
Using the Pearson Square
 EXAMPLE
 2,000 kgs of feed is needed to feed a 100-
pound growing hog. A feeding standards
table shows that a 14% crude protein
ration is needed. Corn and Soybean oil
meal (SBOM) are selected as feeds. A feed
composition table shows that corn has
8.9% and SBOM has 45.8% crude protein.
How much corn and soybean oil meal need
to be mixed together for 2,000kg of feed?
 STEP 1
 Draw a square with lines connecting the
opposite corners.

 Write the percent of crude protein (14)

in the center of the square.

14
STEP 2
 Write the feeds to be used and their
crude protein percents at the left hand
corners of the square.
Corn 8.9

14
Soybean
oil meal 45.8
STEP 3
 Subtract the smaller number from the larger,
along the diagonal lines. Write the differences
at the opposite end of the diagonals.

31.8= 45.8-14
Corn 8.9

14
Soybean
oil meal 45.8 5.1=14-8.9
STEP 3

Corn 8.9 31.8 Parts Corn

14
Soybean
oil meal 45.8 5.1 Parts SBOM

36.9 36.9
STEP 4
 Divide the parts of each feed by the
total parts to find the percent of each
feed in the ration
 Corn 31.8/36.9x100=86.2%

 Soybean oil meal

5.1/36.9x100=13.8%
STEP 5
 It is known that 2,000 kgs of the
mixture is needed. To find the kilo of
each feed in the mix, the percent of
each feed is multiplied by the total
pounds of the mix
 Corn 2,000 x 0.862= 1,724 kilogram
 SBOM 2,000 x 0.138= 276 kilogram

*Numbers have been rounded to full kgs.

STEP 6
 Check the mix to ensure that the protein
need is met. Multiply the kgs of the feed in
the it’s percent protein .
 Corn 1,724 x 0.089= 153 kgs of Corn
 SBOM 276 x 0.458= 126 kgs of SBOM
 Add the of protein of each ingredient together
 153 + 126 = 279
 Divide by the total weight of the mix
 279/2,000 x 100= 14%
 The mix is balanced for crude protein
content!
THANK
YOU!
Using the Pearson Square to Mix
Two Grains with a Supplement
(START)

 Can be used to find out how much of

two grains should be mixed with a
supplement
 Proportions of grain must be known first
Using the Pearson Square X
 Used in the same method as before to
mix two feeds.
 On a sheet of paper, work out this
problem
3 parts Corn, 1 part oats 7.8

16

Soybean oil meal 41.7