Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-10-28

This subject may seem to lack inter
est to many but nevertheless it is one
about which too much can scarcely be
said. The raising of horses on the farm
is one of the most profitable branches
of the farming industry if properly
carried on, and yet the number Of
worthless brutes raised annually by our
farmers is very great. In addition 10
this very many farm horses are poorly
taken care of and lily fed so that we
| frequently see the poorest looking
| horses where we should see the best
A farmer has always plenty of time
| to groom his horses, and surely grain is
nowhere as cheap as on the farm. On
this subject Il writer in the American
Agrculturist remarks:
1t is apparent even to an Indifferent
observer that the general run of farm
horses do not have that smooth and
WelIcared-for look that the majority Of
the horses of city transportation and
car companies possess; though the lat
| ter, on the average, do vastly more
work in Il year than the horses upon
in the care and feed. Farm horses re-
ceive, as Il rule, too little attention ais
to grooming, and are fed too commonly
without regard to :: balancing of the
ration. Farm horses almost invariably
eat too much hay, which distendS the
stomach when taken in large quanti-
ties. prevents that organ from doing its
full duty, and makes the horse dull and
weak.
! Many farmers have no regular IA
ton for their horses, but throw down q
:, forkful of hay almost every time they
enter the barn. AS result many of
! these horses are eating hay from morn
| ing till night, to the manifest diSad-
vantage of the haymow and the MANI
! fest disadvantages, also, OF the horses
J whose bodies become diStcnied, Skins
! dry and coats rough, while the digcStiv"
organs are thrown out of gear, 50 that
! the animals whole system becomes
! impaired. The farmer declares that
he cannot afford to feed such . ration
! as is fed to horses in city stables. Well,
! the value of the hay that is worse than
quantities mentioned. if expended FOR
grain, would make vast Improvement
in the condition and appearance Of the
!. horses and would involve no extra cX-
! pense whatever This is Il point that
! farmers ought TO consider for on it
! hinges a horses measure Of efficiency
in doing his work We'll
] A small ration of hay fed with regu-
! larity three time Il day and a suitable
grain ration, carefully Incorporated
! with it, with water twice a day, and a
| through grooming vii! make q
! spiritless, rough-coated horse with dis
| tended body, ia four cases out of five,
| a much more alert, q handsonler AMI
| vastly more efficient animal. The grain
ration should be of ground or cracked
corn. and ground oats or bran, the grain
| being mixed with the hay so that the
! hay and grain will have to be eaten to-
| gether, as it has been found that in
| this way the grain is much more fully
| digested. AS to the amount of grain
| that shall help make up n ration, that
must depend on circumstances, the
| ability of the owner to provide the
| grain, or. perhaps better, his inclination
! to provide the grain and also the work
i which the horse is called upon to do
| The thing of chief Importance is to get
| farmers to discard part Of the hay ra-
/ ton and substitute for this discarded
| hay at least its value in the more con
| denscd nutrition Of corn. oats, or bran,
| the rest viii naturally follow Corn has
| 100 mach oil to be fed alone
The same idea holds good in respect
to growing colts, with the exception
/ that corn should not be fed them On
| hundreds of farms are to be seen dull
eyed. rough-haired, understood and
spirit1ess colts whose distended bodies
during the winter season show plainly