St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-03-20
Philosophy Of Ground Feed,
.zn.i;e, BY, DR. GEORGE ,spnAauE,a
LATE SECRETARY o. B. s. AoI1cuLruRy.

Although there is no doubt, of the
economy Of feeding ground feed to farm
stock, as q general, thing, stll the mode Of
feeding, and the uses to which the. ami.
mails so fed are put, has 41uch to do with
the propriety Of using ground feed. The
saliyary glands secrete fluid; tho Office
Of which IS to aid in digestin}g food taken
into the stomach. The quantity Of this
saliva required by, the stomach is in pro.
portion to the amount of food taken into
it.. This saliva is given ont BY the saliva
Try glands but slowly, and GENERALLY only in
the act Of maslication, the glands, ii this
act: being stimulated by the presence of
food in the mouth, as we'll as by the pres
sure Of the contracting muscles. A gal
Ion ofoats ground and made wet with wa
ter, will be swallowed by a horse in say
three minutes-agallon unground in nine.
Now, with the gallon Of whole oats, there
will pass into the stomach: more than three
times as much saliva as With the ground
eats, because, in the msstication, the whole
grain acts as above stated. 1t will BE- DIFF
3erent with cattle, as they mastieatc sec
ond time. Their digestive apparatus. is
also more oapacious thar, that Of the horse,
and their digestion is more perfect. There,
fore in feeding ground feed, to horses es-
.pecially, it should be fed dry; or other
wise, combir ed With whole grain, Or cut
hay or straw, that the horse may be for:
ced to occupyea sufficient time in eating.
Letany ole who doubts this position put
a horse upon wet ground feed, and in
weeks time he will witness the evidence
of imperfect digestion BY the presence Of
acidity, indicated by the, belehipg of Wind
from the stomach, itching of the fnnda-
'ment, rubbing the root Of the tail there:
from, lampas, rough, staring coat, dull
ness and inability to stand hard driving,
and at the end Of a mouth worms will make
their appearance Now, as aproof. of the
cause being as above stated, at the end Of
the first or second week, give salt ana
ashes to neutralize the acid generated by
the fermentation, change back to whole
oats, and in very few days the digestion
'willagain be perfect. A;.horse may be
rendered confirmed dyspeptic by being
allowed to swallow rapidly wetted ground
feed.
Horses that are allowed access to the
earth will, when eating food that fermeut
in the stomach, eat EARTH instinct teach
ing them that this will neutralize the .ex-
cess of acid. Horses fed,on corn are liable
to excessive acidity, and. if close coptn-
ed, should always have salt and ashes, or
salt and clay eurM so;thtn reach. The
same rule will also apply to hogs; they
suffer from acidity if kept from the earth,
especially when fed on wet ground feed,
and win not thrive in this condition. For
the reasons before stated, swine will main.
tain a better degree Of health, if fed on
the ewhole grain than if kept on wet ground
feed, especially if confined, as work hor-
ses usually are, out Of the reach Of salt,
ashes or earth these always being called
into requisition by: dumb brutcs, to correct
the effects of improper feedipg.-0h;o
4 dFHIST.. =, 49,