Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-05
Windrow Wisdom
[sugeestions and Short communica.
tions From Farmers and Of Interest
to Farmers Are Solicited for This
Column.l
Money in Horse Fat.

II never could understand why Iowa
farmers ship so many thin horses to the
Chicago market. said w. ]. Kennedy,
of the Iowa Experiment Station. 1T is a
wasteful policy to pursue and costs
Iowa a lot of money annually, as this
state sends a large number of horses
annually to Chicago. A fair estimate
is that 80 per cent of them go In a
habitat condition that means consider
able loss to the grower. In the first
place, a thin horse is always discrim-
mated against in market circles. The
natural inference is that he is a hard
feeder, otherwise he would be in good
condition. The average buyer wants
a horse that looks thrifty and is willing
to pay for it. Our farmers spend lot
Of money fattening steers that fetch
only five cents or Whereabouts, WHERE
as horse flesh, if we'll finished, is worth
twenty-five to fifty cents per pound on
the Chicago market, taking into cons
sideration the premium always paid for
equine stock that is fat and sleek look
ing. If every horse shipped from Iowa
was fat. the raising of that class of
stock would be far more profitable
than at present"
The Iowa station has begun cam
paign with the intention of discourage
ing the practice of shipping half-fat
and thin horses. Here at the station
range bred horses have been finished
and sold for as much as $500 per pair.
showing conclusively the profit In the
business.
Some time ago, ]. A. Craig and II.
w. Brettel, of the Iowa station, coll
lected considerable data from Iowa
men who have made a speciality of fat
tening horses for the Chicago market.
They found that the stock is usually
purchased in the fall, after farm work
is over and are stabbed and fed on
abundant ration, care being taken to
accustom them to a full feed gradually
in order to avoid collie. When on full
feed the horses studied We're given, per
head, ten to fourteen ears of corn In
the morning, at noon and again at
night, with three quarts of oats and
one and half pounds of bran. all
the hay they could eat being furnished.
Oats and bran were given in the mid
die of the forenoon and afternoon. Rec
ogni2ing the Importance of a long peri
cd of rest. no feed was given from six
or seven o'clock at night until five o.
clock in the morning. The horses We're
watered' twice each day and given all
they could drink. Owing to the large
number fed they could not be exercised
but as rule We're kept idle in the sta
BILE until few days before marketed
To insure good condition 1T was found
to give a reasonable
quantity of Giauber salts twice Il week
Oil meal was used TO good advantage, |
aiding in putting on flesh and making |
the skin soft
The Importance of keeping managers
and feed boxes clean need not be dweit |
upon, and teeth should be frequently |
examined. removing with Il float any
sharp points which would make the |
gums sore and thus prevent the horses |
from masticating their feed properly. |
With such feeding and care, salts
factory gains have generally been real
ICED. In one instance a horse fed in
this manner made a gain of 5.5 pounds
per day for period of fifty days, or
$40 pounds in one hundred days. In |
several instances, with as many as a /
dozen horses. a gain of 3.75 pounds
per day was secured thruout a period
MI Inv