Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-03-23
HOW TO FEED HORSES.

HOW TO FEED HORSES.
Having selected the food or mixture OF
food we propose to use, we have now to
consider the form in which that food may be
most ad~vantageously given. 1t comes to us
in the form of hay and grain, and is open to
two objections. The long hay is wasted by
the animals allowing a portion Of it to fall
under their feet, and the whole grain is La
BILE to pass undigested through the aliment-
airy canal. To avoid these sources Of loss,
we advise that the hay be chopped and the
grain be crushed. Experience enables us to
say positively that these operations are pro-
ductive of no ill effects. The additional eX-
pense they entail is many times repaid by
the prevention Of waste in hay, and the more
complete digestion of all the grain eaten. 1t
has been objected to these operations that
they induce a horse to bolt his food only
half masticated. We crush grain, not to inn
prove upon mastication, not to save the ami
NAL the trouble to chew his food, but simply
to break the envelope, and thus allow easy
digestion. We do not grind it to powder,
but are quite contented if it be split. No
doubt horses with good teeth would give a
good account OF most of the grain they are
allowed, but we are not satisfied to lose any,
and therefore we reduce all the corn to a
form which, while it might still be we'll
masticated, is most favorable for digestion,
to a form in which, even shouldit escape the
teeth, it will not escape the stomach. Ihe
cutting Of hay is advised for a different
a.,o, W. 10 not ,rrcc fhnt thic mo.
chanical operation affects its digestibility.
We cut it to prevent it's waste from granary
to pit. and in the stall where the horse pulls
a mouthful from the manger but princi-
pally to mix with the grain SO as to compel
the horse to thoroughly masticate the whole
of his provender. With long hay frequently
portions fall under foot, are trampled onsand
spoilt some horses, from mischief, Wiltully
throw their hay on the floor, and these little
bits form collectively, in a large establish
ment, a considerable item. BY cutting the
hay this waste is prevented, as the animal
can only remove a mouthflll at the time.
The length of cut is almost immaterial, be-
ing equally effective if cut to two inches, as
cut to a half.
Almost Of more mpo:tance than the form
in which the food is given is the frequency
and regularity Of meals. The horses digest
i've organs are not constructed for long
fasts. Long intervals without food produce
hunger, and hunger begets yoracity +; foods
bolted, and Indigestion and collie follow.
This is doubly true and doubly dangerous
with horse's doing hard work. They come
to their long-deferred meal not only hungry,
but exhausted not only is the food bolted,
but the stomach is i'll such q state as to be in
capable of thoroughly active digestion, and
is overpowered by half the work it could
otherwise easily digest. The prevention of
waste is almost attained when we give a
proper form; but there are two points TO
which it is right to devote some attention
the form of the managers, and attention to
the wants of the individual animals. The
Manager should not be less than three feet
long, eighteen inches wide, and twelve
inches deep. They should have an upper
border of wood projecting inward for about
two inches, and a transverse bar of half-incll
round iron across the middle. A piece OF
two-ineh-wide hoop-iron screwed on to the
top of the mangcr, protects it from damage