Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-20
Feeding Horses.

inc to science with respect to any of our
domestic animals. But it is probably true
that men generally feed horses more
recklessly than they do other kinds of
stock. In feeding cattle, swine and
sheep we have a very distinct object in
view. however far we may come from
accomplishing it. We are supposed TO
aim at turning food into animal pro-
ducts, and to produce the most of such
products from the least possible amount
of food. That is the theory of feeding.
We are supposed to aim at the saving OF
food. But in horse-feeding the saving of
food does not generally enter into our cal
culations at all. We dump so much of
whatever comes the most handy into
the Manager and feed-box, and never
stop to count the cost. We think many
will plead guilty to that charge without
any hesitancy; and we presume that
every one of us has thrown away hun
dreds of dollars through the Manager. 1t
is said to be a fact that there are only
two experiments on record as to the
feed required to make a pound OF
growth in colts, and certainly we have
never seen any except these. Yet the
feeding of horses in the best and at the
same time most economical way, is one
of the means of making money on the
farm. Where large numbers of horses
are employed in city industries the safe
ty of the business of which they are a
part necessitates a close study of the
subject. II the great European omni-
bus companies and the horse-railroads
of this country fed as recklessly as some
81 fov L. n,
large dividends cut down very percep-
tibly. But they have experimental
until they believe they know how horse
can be kept in good working condi-
ton at the lowest figure. The
horses upon our street-railways
are fed about the same ration
everywhere. In summer time the ra-
ton ola horse is sixteen pounds of corn
and oats, ground together in equal
quantities, with twelve pounds of cut
hay. With this class of horses and with
the horses employed on the omnibuses
of London, experiment has established
the fact that ground grain and cut hay
are better than whole grain and uncut
hay, for reasons which we think will be
obvious enough, without taking the time
here to explain them. The winter ra-
tons of the horses referred to are six
teen pounds of corn meal and twelve
pounds of cut hay, or an equal quantity
of corn and oats as for the summer ra-
ton. Of course location and the conse-
quent relative price will have something
to do in leading to the decision as to
whether corn meal shall be exclusively
used in winter. All things being equal,
or nearly equal, a ration made partly
of oats is greatly better If clover can
be fed it will make the corn meal more
acceptable as a ration. Corn meal and
clover hay constitute a very evenly bal
anced food, for the clover will supply
the muscle forming elements, in which
the meal is deficient. From what we
have said in recent articles upon this
vitality important subject of feeding, no
one will have difficulty in seeing that
we do not advise feeding on meal and
hay alone. Corn is fat producing
food. 1t furnishes heat, and is neces-
sary, or rather desirable, for that pur-
pose, and to produce the moderate
quantity of fat which horse needs
Feed two horses, one upon corn meal
exclusively, and the other upon oats ex-
clusively, and time will demonstrate
that the latter will last the longest.
Keep the horses system at the high
temperature that a constant ration of
corn will produce, and we are burning
up the horse. We are keeping it in a
condition in which it is ready prey of
disease.
Then again such food as corn or
corn-meal if fed alone, as is sometimes
done, is too concentrated. The horse
needs bulk, and this is one of the valua-
bic features of oats. They contain a
large amount of fiber and they enter
the stomach in a loose condition, en-
abling the forces of digestion to come in
contact with it all through it. At least
half of the animals food should be of
bulky character, and this ought to be
mixed with the concentrated food, as
the concentrated part of oats is mixed
with the fibrous husk. If either corn
or corn-meal is to be fed alone, it is
better to feed the whole corn, for it will
60 into the stomach in more porous,
looser condition. The truth ought to
be learned that corn-meal should be fed
with hay, straw or other coarse fodder,
and that these should be cut and wet
down. If we will cut all our folders,
mix our meal with them, wet down the
mixture, place it IN BIN, cover it With
blanket, and let it remain from twelve
to twenty-four hours, we will find that
we are consulting the interests of our
pOcket-books, and conducting to the
health of our horses. Thousands of
horses are ruined by eating dry, dusty
hay, and it is time we had reformed our
methods to prevent this. The first
thing to accomplish in feeding horses,
or other animals, is to insure their per-
feet health, and the next thing, with the
horse, is to develop muscle. While it
is desirable to have horse look well,
looks are secondary object. When
ever we feed for looks, we are very like
ly to be neglecting the feed for utility
aNd health. But if we will adopt the
plan of feeding less corn, and cutting
and wetting down our hay, with which
the meal we feed is mixed. we shall not
only conduce to health and usefulness,
but add to appearance.-W Western Rural.
A Jury.