Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-24
Carrots for Horses and Cattle.

No food of the root kind is so keenly
relished By horses as carrots; indeed,
most horses prefer them to oats. Carrots,
when mixed with chat. without corn, will
keep horses in excellent condition for
performing all kinds Of labor. They
may be fed from December to the begin
ming or middle of May, to which period
with proper care in this latitude, they
may be preserved. They are especially
beneficial for horses towards Spring, at
which time corn may be added for few
weeks. In certain parts of Europe far
mers depend solely upon carrots, with q
proper allowance Of hay, az Winter food
tor their horses. without giving them any
grain whatever; and it is asserted that
by this mode Of feeding farm hOrses q
considerable saving Of hay is effected, as
compared with the usual custom OF the
country of feeding corn aud hay. Draft
md farm horses arc given in the proper
lion Of fifty TO sixty pounds weight OF
carrots each per day on an average, not
allowing them quite SO many in the very
short days, and sometimes more than that
, quantity in the Spring months. A por-
+ non Of the carrots are sliced in the cut
chat or hay, the rest are given whole to
the horses at night, with moderate guam
. tity Of hay, in their racks ; and with this
food the horses will usually enjoy unln-
tcrrupted health. There are persons who
think that carrots only gwen as food to
aorSeS are injurious 10 their constitutions
out this belief Is without foundation other
than prejudice Experiments carefully
conducted have proved that team horses,
Winter and Summer, will perform ordi-
nary work on carrots Us Winter food,
with the assistance Of proper soiling in
Summer, and may be kept the entire year
round upon the produce OF an acre Of
land in carrots.
Without reference to the many local
/ opportunities Of market for the sale OF
/ the carrot, il Is the most valuable esculent
in the entire range Of practical husband
" on account Of Its superior properties
| is 4 general article OF food for several
descriptions Of animals usually kept on i
farm. The only reasonable objection
urged against the more general introduc-
ton Of carrots into the regular system Of
cropping Is their expensive and tedious
carly culture, which objection certainly
has considerable weight. Nevertheless,
when capital ard Industry can be COM
b;ned, carrots offer tairer opportunity
of remunerative return than any other
comparative crop, and where introduced
Will be found valuable article Of food
for horses, pigs, and poultry Of all deS-
criptious. Butter Of the most agreeable
appearance and exquisite favor may be
obtained for the table by feeding milch
COWS upon carrots. and if stored fer them
during severe weather in winter there
viii be no dimjnutioa in quantity, or de-
teviora;;ou in the quality OF their produce
In establishments for trotting or racing
horses. carrots are especially beneficial
Toward Spring when the horses have been
fed many months on dry food oats, corn
and hay-they are extremely serviecable
indeed necessary. Among horsemen they
have gained the character of being good
for tue wind bu; we suspect the only
merit they can claim in this respect is
that they Keep the body cool and proper
y open. by which they conduce greatly to
health and condition, and consequently to
c,carnc>S of wind. About the same thing
NAV be said OF their claims to producing
tine coat whatever conduces 10 health
does so consequently carrots DO. To
any one who has been in a racing stable,
OF in any stable where carrots are fed, it
may seem almost useless 10 say that they
should be sliced in pretty long slices. Il,
Is dangerous TO give them cut crossways.
y horses are extremely fond Of them,
and, IL at all greedy would be apt to bolt
pieces OF them whole, which would be
quite likely 70 cause some Of them to
stick in the throat. Carrots, If kept in q
dry place, in sand, will keep a long time,
or, in sand, ;Acy Will keep out of doors,
. if covered sufficiently with straw and then
banked up with earth National Live
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