The Worthington advance., 1880-09-02
On Feodlne Horses.

BENJAMIN, Franklin has said that
'Experience keeps dear school, but
fools will learn in no other" This il
indeed very true, yet Notwithstanding:
We go on from day to day, paying dear.
ly for our experience. Thousands c:
horses and cattle are lost annually by
1njudicious modes of feeding which =
little care or forethought or attention
to the warnings Of experience would
have averted. Physicians tell us that
all sudden changes in our diet and
modes of living are more or less inju.
rious and often dangerous. This is tho
result of experience, yet we pay very
little attention to it. They calculate
with good deal Of certainty that ID
the autumn months they will have
plenty Of practice OH diarrhea, dyscn>
terry, cholera morbus, etc. Again i,
the Spring months diseases of thu
chest, and lungs, and throat, will pre-.
vail, and so on. Yet the great masscl
Of mankind take no heed whatcvcr.-
The consequences arc often sad to cop.
template, yet we still blindly and il.
norantly travel on.
We have reason to believe that ami.
mails in the state OF nature arc not
much troubled with diseasc--thcir in.
stincts teach them to avoid im.prapc,
food and excess, but the case is very
different when they become subscrvi.
ent to man. During my practice and
experience as veterinary surgeon, I
have been curious to note the intimate
connection of cause and effect in the
matter Of feeding horses. have OBJ.
served that when we begin to feed with
new hay, new oats, new corn (more cs.
pccially) we have q great number Of
cases OF diseases Of the stomach AMI
bowels in the form Of tympanitcs, gas
tritis, inflammation Of the bowels, collie,
staggers, dysentery, etc., etc. Now all
this catalogue Of serious diseases is
mostly brought on by improper feed
ing and mana cement in other respects.
That thousands of horses and cattle arc
lost annually by these diseases ,lo,,c,
no one can deny.
Those who raise considerable
amount Of live stock will do veil to
attend to the following hints. 2umin-
ating animals (those who chew Acir
cudD merely crop their food in the first
instance and it passes into the yumcn
or paunch and is 1ftcrward .et,lrnel
to the mouth and masticatcd at their
leisure. It will be observed that cows
and oxen chew their cud when at rest.
This is natural and necessary rcquirc-
lnent. The food is thereby Intimately
mixed with tho saliva, which, with
the gastric Juice, is essential to the
elimination Of nutrimcnt. Think, then,
Of the evil Of putting yoke Of cattle
to hard work Immediately after feed
ing.
The horse, however, is differently
constituted his stomach is (taking his
size into consideration very small
admirably adapted to his motion Of
speed and those who are most cxpc-
rienced in the care Of horses, and who
require fast work, are very careful as
to their mode Of feeding. Horses
trained for racing and trotting get very
little hay, and the same rule applies 10
well-conductcd livery and omnibus
stables. This is the result of cxpcri-
ence. Let us then take lesson from
them; it will be useful.
In European countries the horses
which are used for agricultural pur-
poses are OF heavy, ponderous build,
in general we'll adapted for slow work;
and it is the custom to drive them at q
slow, even, pace, and cut feed is very
generally adopted with advantage
The American farmer is, however, diff
fertntly circumstanccd; lie wants Ills
horse for general purposes, and has q;
much fast as slow work, and, as 4 rule,
it would be we'll to avoid feeding OK
watering horses either Immediately be-
fore or Immediately after meals. Give
them little time after feeding and let
them grind their own food. Ii you
change their food do it gradually, mix
old and new hay together for 4 while
in the commencement the same with
new oats.-A. I. Wilson, Y. S.