Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-08
FOOD FOR HORSES.
never subject Them to Violent Exerti
EYr.

Never Subject Them to Violent Exertion
on n Full Stomach.
DIR. w. c. Fair delivered an address,
ut the recent Collamer Institute, on
1.-The Digestive Organs of the Horse
and How TO Feed Him. He briefly
explained the digestive process. as a
knowledge of the organs of digestion
and assimilation, with their functions,
is necessary, to know how to feed.
Ihe mouth, lips, teeth, tongue, nose,
salivary glands. pharynx, esophagus,
stomach, intestines. liver, pancreas,
all play important parts in this proc
ess, and the office of each was de-
scribed. The molar or grinder teeth
are very important If they are
irregular. uneven or very sharp on
the edges. cutting the cheeks and
tongue. the animal can not
grind the food properly. and
indigestion and resultant disorders
follow. The salivary glands. six in
number. secrete the saliva. which is
mixed with the food during mastica-
ton. rending it more digestible and
facilitating its passage into the stom-
ach. The stomach is the leading
organ of the digestive process, as here
the food undergoes the prin cipal
changes which convert it into proper
form for the support of the body. The
three large and three small intestines
come next. They are ninety feet in
length, or nine times the length of the
body. The process of digestion is
completed during the passage of food
material through the intestines Tho
liver is the largest gland in the body,
and is very important organ of Gi-
gestion, secreting the bile, and serv-
ing an important function in cOnnec-
ton with certain changes in the blood
The pancreas resembles the salivary
gland. and has been termed the
abdominal salivary gland" The
duct from this gland, conveying the
pancreatic fluid. enters the small in
testine near the stomach.
OIhe horse has a very small stomach
its capacity about three gallons.
Hence, bulky food must be given with
care, and he should never be subject to
violent eXertion on full stomach.
In feeding, follow the law OF nature
closely, giving such food as he de-
sires, i'll proper quantities and at
proper intervals. The nature of each
animal, and its habits and peculiari-
ties, should be studied. Too much
concentrate food gives rise to fever
and constitutional disturbance. A
should be given with the concentrated
food. but not in as large proportions
rs 10 Illuminating animals with stom-
achs. More economy can be used in
feeding before maturity, but much can
be saved in proper feeding after ma
turity. Milk is a perfect food for the
young colt. but at the age of four to
six months he requires some
thing else. The choice of this
food to replace milk. Is i'm
portant- The time to make the change
is an important element in making the
choice of food. Whatever is chosen,
it should possess elements in common
with milk. and in nearly the same pro-
portions. There must be no check in
growth, to realize the greatest profit
Oats, peas, beans, flaxseed, oil cake,
wheat bran, rye bran and middlings
come nearest to milk in relative pro-
portions of muscle-forming, and heat
and fat-producing elements; they are
also rich in phosphates of lime and
magnesia, etc, necessary to build up
the animal system. Corn is an i'm
proper food for young stock. contain
ing too much carbonaceous and too
little heterogeneous elements-too heat
ing and fattening, and too low in
muscle and bone elements Discard
corn for animals under six months old.
Great economy can be secured by sub
shutting well-cooked fiaxseed for the
cream that has been removed from
milk before giving it TO young stock
Cor Ohio Farmer.