Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-19
Water and Food for Horses.

Horses end cattle normally require, in
round numbers, four pounds of water for
each pound of dry substance in the food,
While sheep require but two pounds, or
half as much. This estimate, the result
| of many careful experiments, includes
the water contained in the food as that
| in the drink. The amount of water need
ed by pigs has not, I think, been &C
curately determined.
With horses we find "a different o1ges
tive arrangement-one that changes the
conditions which were suitable for ru-
| minants to a very important extent
Horses have but one stomach, and that
| relatively small; it contains, when fully
distended. but fifteen to sixteen quarts.
and in this condition is too full for the
performance Of its functions Usually,
when dlgesting the food, the horses
| stomach does not contain more than ten
| quarts, ana as more feod is eaten some of
the contents pass onward into the in
testines to make room for it. In eating
| full feed Of hay, the stomach is flied
two or three times, so the part first eaten
| can remain but a short time for digestion.
| Now, here is point of great importance
the albuminoids OF the food are digested
in the stomach, and stomachful Of grain
contains tour to six times as much of
these as a stomachful Of hay consequent
ly, for sufficient quantity Of gastric
juice to he mixed with the grain and pro-
duce its full effect requires much long
er time than with hay. If then we feed
oats or corn, and Immediately afterward
hay, we may be very certain that the
grain will be forced from the stomach
before it is perfectly digested; but if we
feed the hay first, and then the grain, it
is not difficult to understand that the
latter can remain in the stomach suffi-
cient time.
There is one advantage in mixing oats
or ground feed of any Kind with cut hay
or straw, and that is the more perfect
mastication which the animal gives in
this case; but it is doubtful if this advan-
tage holds good with cattle, as they do
not chew their food perfectly when eat
en-, but rely on the rumlnation which fol-
lows. In mixing feed for horses we
should not put great amount of coarse
food with the grain, or we will give more
than the stomach will hold, and the last
portions eaten will force the first ones into
the intestines before they are thoroughly
impregnated with the gastric juice. Thus,
two pounds of hay and four pounds of
oats are about as much as should be fed
al. once when mixed, and if more oats are
given the hay should be decreased. For
/ instance, five pounds of oats ana one and
a half pounds Of hay may Desgiven.
Now, these facts will give us better
understanding Of the effect Of water on
digestion. If, after feeding hay and then
oats, we allow horse to take large
drink of water, a considerable part of the
oats will be carried by the water into the
intestines, and we get little Of the advan-
tage Of feeding the oats after the hay.
If such drink is taken soon after eat
ing hay alone, the effect will not be 50 in
furious, because hay does not need so
long a time for digestion as grain. If
only one or two quarts of water are al
lowed, it will pass food in the stomach
without changing its position to any
great extent. When the stomach has got
rid of a considerable part of its contents,
1t seems a difficult matter for it to force
out the remainder, and fermentation and
collie sometimes result; drink Of water
at such time, by carrying on the sub
stance which has remained long enough,
relieves the condition. This probably
explains why some horse-car companies
have found 1t advisable to have their
horses watered at midnight. MicAigan
Farmer.