Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-09-19

Farm and Household.
From the American Stock Journal
How to Feed and care for
! Working Horses.

We fear few of our farmers attach
due importance to attentions lock-
ing to the comfort of their working
stock. e
[ "When the horse has to work as
much and as often as he is able, his
food should be unlimited. sH
For horse feed, Indian corn pos
sesses all the elements Of warmth
and nutrition, and is we'll calculated
to supply the wear and tear of the
system of the hardest work horse,
and keep him in healthy condition,
without any assistance from oats;
but the us ual addition of hay should
be allowed to horses, whatever be
the feed that is in use. By refer
ence to the analysis of corn, it will
be observed that there is little loss
from woody fibre or other inert sub
stances. 1t is this principal con-
tanned in corn that is to be modified
and corrected as feed, and not to
be added to by greater concentra-
tionof nutritive matter; or, in other
words, add to the corn materials
that do not contain, or at least but
in small degree, those powerful
constituents that characterize Indi-
an corn; and for this purpose we
will recommend that the corn be in
minute division, or ground into
meal, to insure a greater diffusion
in the stomach, and less concentra-
ton than would result by feeding it
whole, and not mixed with extrane-
Gus matter, as cut hay, chaff and a
little bran. The bran is to prevent,
or at least modify, the costive or
binding and heating effects of the
corn; the chat or cut hay is to give
sufficient bulk to the feed, thereby
keeping the bowels moist and the
meal from attraction. At the same
time the horse has feed before him
of which he can eat his fill without
producing cramp or collie, which Of
ten results from feeding corn whole
or in meal, without sufficient mkt
ure of bulk being given it. 1t is
the want of this knowledge, togeth-
er with the extra trouble in cutting
hay and mixing such a feed, that
forms the chief argument of some
stablemen against feeding with corn.
and in favor of oats.
When the work is such as to des-
troy the legs more than it exhausts
the system, the feed must be given
with some restriction, unless the
horse be poor eater,
Nothing would do a horses legs
so much good as careful cleaning
and thoroughfubbing every night.
We attach more importance to the
use of the cloth Especially upon the
legs )than the currey comb, but the
two should be combined. To sum
up the whole matter, we should
give the principal and most
thorough rubbing at night, taking
care to dry the legs before putting
up for the night; but we would not
neglect to curry and rub both morn
ing and noon, giving special atten
ton to the legs at each currying,
believing that they need more atten-
ton than the body. A horse may
have ever so good body, but if his
legs are defective he is worthless.
When the weather is cold, horses
that are much exposed to it require
more food than when the weather
! is warm. ...-F. ....-.tf-FF
The place where or in which the
animal is fed should be snch as to
;, afford him complete protection from
the weather, and so that the TEN
!, perature be as nearly equal as pos.
! sible. Especially should he be
: shielded from sudden, severe chang
es to cold, and this, throwing out
of all consideration, the effect pro
duced upon his lungs, and having
!, referance only to economic feeding
l The proper temperature should be
from so to 55 degrees Fair. There
!, is then but little loss, or rather ap
: preparation of food merely to man
] tain animal heat. With an even
temperature of about this rate all
the food that is properly digested
,, and assimulated going to MAINTAIN
or increase fat, flesh, blood and mus
Gel.
"When the horse is in good work
ing condition, he needs less food
than while he is only getting into
condition
young growing horses require
more food than those of mature age
, but, as they are not fit for full work
the difference is not great.
). "Old horses, those that have be
e gun to decline in vigor, require
more food than the young or thu
e matured."9 iiit t-uuJl Hlkigi.
A carriage or saddle horse uset
!, for shopping or afternoon rides ol
drives can be kept in excellent con
dition with six pounds of corn meal
three pounds Of hay, two quarts o
salt, mixed with warm water in win
= ter and cold water in summer
the water must be barely to mois
ten the mss and not make soft feee
or slop disturb the bowels of horse
and unfit him for eNertion. The
allowed named mess is to be divided
into three feeds-for morning, nool
{ and evening. An addition of 81.
- to eight pounds of hay must ais
{ be given in the rack. These quaint
ties, however, are merely approx
Ii mate, for the old horse and one Q
harder work will, TO keep him il
e good condition, require, an addition
:, and young animals of less work vii
Ii not require so much. Draft ant
worked horses should be fed NOR
. generously, say fifteen to sixteel
: pounds of meal, with slX to eigh
/" pounds of hay, half Il peck of bran
and an extra allowance of hay il
~ the rack at night. hlGstiAt 7
This amount of feed to saddle an
IL Garage horses is equivalent to abou
forty bushels of corn, about two ton
~ ofhay and twenty-five bushels OF bra
u " per year; and for draft horses on
hundred bushels of corn, about tw
tons of hay, ninty one bushels c