The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-07-28
Pea Hay For Horses.

PEN writes: Pea hay is supposed
to have an injurious effect on the kid
news Of horses if fed continuously. l
have been told that mules are not so
affected. Please say if this is fact
and also how much pea hay can be fed
horses without injury.
The idea that pea hay has an in
furious effect on the kidneys Of horses
if fed continuously is news to the
writer. While the claim of our cores
pondent may be correct, I have never
heard this subject mentioned at farm
ers' institutes in tho State nor has it
been called to my attention by letter.
1 have also visited many farms where
horse breeding was engaged in quite
extensively and in a number Of in
stances have seen them fed pea hay,
and it would seem that if there was
ANYTHING in the claim that pea hay
was injurious to horses that some sug-
gestion would have been made rela-
tive to it by these breeders.
Pea hay has been fed to work horses
on the station farm for several months
at time without injury so far as we
know. The principal reason for dis
continuing its use has been due to
the high price it commands on the
market and the difficulty experienced
in growing a sufficient supply to last
for a longer period. We have not had
any experience in feeding it continu-
ally to horses. and therefore cannot
speak with any authority on this sub
iect. but if any OF our readers have
had the experience mentioned. we
shopld be glad to have them throw
some light on the subject.
1 do not believe that pea hay is in
furious to mules. because it is the prac-
tice of every mule breeder in Tennes-
see to feed pea hay whenever possible.
In fact the fine coat Of hair which
characterizeS the Tennessee mule IS
attributed largely to the feeding of pea
hay. This at least is the belief of feed
ers with years Of experience; men who
have handled and fed thousands Of
mules. have been told by some Of
the leading mule feeders Of the state
that feeders from other sections OF the
country have frequently visited their
places 10 ascertain if possible how
they fed their mules to produce such
splendid coats. for while mules in
many other sections Of the country
may be in as good condition, the quail
ity of the hair and the character OF
the coat do not approach that of the
Tennessee fed mule when handled in
telligently. It is common saying
among mule feeders in Tennessee that
the coat they can put on their mules
through the use of pea hay enables
them to obtain from $40 to S15 more
for them than they would otherwise
bring. The experience of so many
large feeders extending as it does over
q number of years is pretty good evil
dence of the value of pea hay in fat
tening mules, and it would also seem
that it had 10 injurious effects ON
these animals.
Just why it should be held that pea
hay Injuries horses and not mules is
not clear to the writer, provided the
pea hay is of a first class quality. The
pea hay is hard to cure and sometimes
it is fed when in q moldy and unsat-
isfactory condition and this might ac-
count for the trouble indicated. AS
much as ten pounds Of pea hay is COM
monty fed to horses and mules in this
State. 1t is rarely if ever the exclu-
sive ration, but is generally fed along
with mixed hay, corn stover, corn or
sorghum silage or sorghum fodder
Prof. A. NJ. Soule.