The Ronan pioneer., 1917-07-20
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RIGHT FEEDING
FOR WORK HORSES
CLEAN, PLUMP, HARD OATS ARE
BEST GRAIN FOOD; THERE
ARE SUBSTITUTES
Ordinary Horse Will Do Well on
From One and Quarter to One
Hundred Pounds of His Weight
Per Day When Working.

Hundred Pounds of His Weight
Per Day When Working.
The work horse is one of the most
needed and valuable accessories to
the average farm. The successful
farmer realizes this and on SO out
of 100 profitable farms, good horses
we'll kept and we'll cared for, will be
found. Normally the climate and
air in Montana give high efficiency
and a long life of usefulness to the
work horse. All he needs to insure
these qualities is a little care and
proper feeding. On the average grain
or mixed farm, conditions are such
that during a considerable part of
the year the horses must work hard
and long hours to make up for time
lost. Obviously in order that a horse
may retain his flesh and health dur
ing these busy seasons he must be
especially we'll fed and cared for.
while during the idle periods he may
be fed much less and much more
economically While at hard work
the important features of feeding are
regularity of feeding and watering
and the use of good, clean, sound hay
and grain.
No feed has yet been found that
will wholly take the place of good,
clean, plump, hard oats as grain for
the work horse.
Good Feed Mixture.
A ration, however, a little cheaper
than oats alone and one almost as
satisfactory can frequently be made
by substituting corn, barley Or bran
for from one-quarter to one-third of
the ration. While at hard work
horse should receive grain three
times per day. The amount of grain
to be fed will depend on the size of
the horse and to some extent upon
the quality and amount of hay fed.
The ordinary horse of strong con-
formation and good digestive capa
city will do we'll on from one and
one-quarter to one and one-half
pounds of grain per 100 lbs Of live
weight per day, that is, horse
weighing 1,400 lbs. should average
from II 1-2 to 21 lbs of grain per
day. The morning and noon feeds of
grain should be somewhat heavier
than the evening feed and the morn
ing and noon feeds of hay must
necessarily be somewhat lighter than
the evening feed since the horse Or
dinarily does not get time to eat a
large amount of hay either in the
morning or at noon before going to
work
Where good sound timothy hay is
used the average horse at hard work
requires about the same amount OIL
hay per day by weight as he does of
grain. The heavy hay feed should be
in the evening. For instance good
method of dividing the feeds for the
/ ,400-lb. horse would be as follows:
Morning feed 8 lbs. grain, S lbs
hay.
Noon feed 8 lbs. grain, S lbs. hay.
Night feed lbs. grain, lbs. hay.
Timothy and Substitutes.
While timothy hay is recognized as
the one best roughage for the work
horse a good quality of upland prai-
rie hay, red top, clover or alfalfa can
be very satisfactorily substituted for
it. The reason why timothy usually
gives better satisfaction is because it
is easier to cure and store and keep
in good condition and free from dust
than the other hay crops.
When hard at work on full feed the
horse should have at least a week Of
a mild laxative nature such as some
boiled flax, boiled oats, boiled barley |
or warm bran mash. Also on Sun
days, or on days when part of the
horses may be idle the grain for
these should be reduced to three
fourths of the regular amount in or
der to prevent the development of a
case or two of azoturia. Watering
is important. A horse that is thirsty
should be watered before he is fed |
grain or hay rather than after. The
reason for this is that the stomach
If the horse is comparatively small
md if he eats heavy feed of grain
)r hay, or both, and then drinks a
arge quantity of water portion of
he feed will be washed from the
into the intestines be-
ore it has been sufficiently acted
upon by the digestive fluids OF the
stomach and collie is likely to devel-
ID. The regular practice should be
% water before feeding. Also the
lorse should be given plenty of time
% drink.
Where salt is not mixed with the
eed it should be before the horse at
intervals of not more than few
lays. Where it is mixed with the
eed about one and one-half pounds
hould be used with each 100 pounds
# grain.