Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-14
Fittinq Horse for Market.

In reply to the question. What is the
ration and course of feeding used in fat
tening and fitting horses for market by
Western farmers propounded by an
Eddytown, n. Y. reader. Prof. G. F..
Curtiss of the Iowa experiment station.
says: a.,,
horses for market appear to vary as
widely as the methods of fitting cattle for
market. ] spent half day last spring
at the stables of an extensive horse-feed-
er near here. This man has barn room
for so to 100 head. and stocks up in the
fall and begins selling and replacing with
fresh horses as soon as any are ready Tor
market. Every horses mouth is carefully
examined on arrival and his teeth prop
ery dressed by competent veterinarian.
This is regarded as a very essential mat
ter as a large majority of the unthrlfty
horses that farmers are unable to fatten
are found to have defective teeth.
Horses properly conditioned usually put
on flesh very rapidly.
This man seldom feeds over 100 days,
and generally makes from 300 to 400 lbs.
gain in that time. some of the horses
are not kept more than thirty to sixty
days, and proportional or even greater
gain is made. They are forced on a
heavy ration and fed to make the great
est weight. and, at the same time finish
in sound and salabe condition. Horses
purchased from farmers, that are consld-
cred finished and ready for market are
frequently made to take on 200 or 3W lbs.
of flesh in comparatively short time,
during which the market hr value OF me rhs
hay is used literally. One attendant
feeds eighty head at precisely the same
time for each feed. Both grain and hay
are fed from the floor above. This man
sells to local shippers. as he says that the
shipping is trade of itself and ne pre-
| fers to take no chances on the city mar
kets. .,.,.oa o+har farm
| er in the southwestern part of the state
who makes it a practice during the latter
part of the summer to pick up one or two
carloads of good salable horses ana TAT
| ten and finish them for market. He buys
| from neighboring farmers and claims
| that there is more money in it than II,
feeding steers. These horses ,, are graIIed
| mented with corn fodder. until Decem,
Der or January. They have but little, If
| any. shelter until that time and max.
TO sixty days of feeding and fitting in the
stable during which time they are
groomed and put in the best condition lo1
market. This man employs morse ueai-
| err to help him in buying.
another feeder in this state PREFERS 70
buy in the spring. He feeds ten ears OF
| corn at 5 A. NJ, ten ears of corn at ~ a;
NJ chopped ratio ration at meth ehoppeI
oats and corn and one-fifth oiI-meal; corn
again at 5 p NJ, and oats or corn at r.
| NJ: clean, bright hay with sach gsa1. !,
cured. These methods give heavy cams
and materially add to the value of horses
thus handled. There is no doubt , wnat-
ever that it pays to properly tit horses no,
for market and make them rat. Iner ,.
NAV be some question as to whether nesn
nut on in this way adds much to tneii
seryiceability, but as long as the "a. "a.
horse sells best this question, may safely
and profitably be ignored by the prou wh
| In other words. it pays to produce VIZ
the market demands. and these horses
should be finished on the farms: w ahaat
there is always an abundance oil e"e"i
feed"