Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-02-12
SUGGESTIONS OF FEEDING
LIVE STOCK IN WINTER.

Tenn, give the following suggestions
m feeding live stock il winter:
The problem or horse feeding is one
which each farmer solves more or less
FIR himself, the opinion regarding
what is and what is not satisfactory
feed varying o. less with the
time and place. Opinions may differ
as to the value of this feed or that
hit it is evident that the actual food
requirements of a horse or mule per-
forming a given amou 1t of wocR can
not vary as a result of 3 change of
opinion on the feeders part. The
nroblem in horse feeding is to supply
sufficient nutritfve material for the
production of the work required ard
at the same time to nathan the body
weights. The almost universal expe-
renee of practical horse feeders, and
the results of many carefully planned
experiments, agree that there is no
surer test of the fitness of any given
ration than that it enables the horse
fed to maintain a constant weight. IL
the animal loses weight. it is evident
that the ration is insufficient, while
if gains in weight are made and the
animal becomes fat, it is evident more
feed is given than is necessary Pro.
v:ded the horse or mule is in good n
dition, it is seldom desirable to in
duce any considerable gain in weight.
The most satisfactory ration must
necessarily be made up of materials
which are wholesome and are relished
by the horse. 1t should also be rea-
sonable in cost. 1t must be abundant
enough to meet all body requirements,
but not so abundant that the horse
lays on an undesirable amount OF
flesh.
Whatever feeding stuffs are employ
ed in the ration, the horse should be
fed regularly and uniformly at all
times. He anticipates the feeding
hour, and becomes v If tits de-
hyed. His digestive system becomes
accustomed tic a certain order which
must obtain if one is to be successful.
Proportion of Hay to Grain.
The work horse has a hearty appe-
tite, a vigorous digestion and responds
as does no other animal to intelligent
care. He should be fed literally and
frequently, the amount given being
regulated by the size of the animal as
we'll as by the amount and kind o.
work he is required to, do. In gener-
al, the horse should be supplied with
something over two pounds of feed
daily for each hundred pounds Of
weight. Of this, about two-thirds-
the exact amount depending on the
kind of labor-should be given in some
form. If the work is exceedingly
heavy, the grain in the ration should
be increased and the hay diminished;
if the work is light, the grain should
be diminished and the hay increased.
This is one of the things to be con-
sidered Turing the next two or three
months, as there will be more or less
work to do depending on the weather.
Sometimes the teams will be idle for a
week or more at a time, while at 9TH
er times they will go that length of
time without much rest. In all cases
watch the feeding; and cut down the
grain feed during the period of idle
mess, and feed more hay. This viii
also tend to cut down the feed bill.
The morning meal should be COM
paratively light, and consist mostly of
grain. 1t should not possess much
bulk.
In many of the large stables OF
cities, where large numbers of horses
are fed, the midday meal is omitted.
Most lumbermen and log haulers also
abide by this rule, but | think that
some grain should be given at noon.
However, the midday ration should
rot be large although the stock should
have at least one hours rest. The
heavy feeding should come at night.
after the days work is over and when
the animal hah time to mastocate and
digest his food.
IN cold weather a more carbonace-
ors heat-producingl ration may be
used than in summer. When more
feed goes to furnish heal for the body
a hose needs a large proportion Q.
Matchmaking feeds. Equal parts, by
weight, of corn and oats would pe
more satisfactory and ordinarily mucE
cheaper than a larger proportion g
oats, Since most farmers have muef
less work for the horse in winter thar
IN summer, it is an excellent practic'
and much more economical to reserve
certain ones to do the work and rough
through the winter than those no