The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-10-29
Winter Feed for
Farm Work Horse
idle Animals Do Well on
Roughages Supplemented
With Grain.
prepared by the United States Department

of ARriculture.)
The ideal method Of wintering idle
or light working farm horses to
one that will bring them through to
spring with normal weight, renewed
vitality, and increased energy. Obvi-
Ously the winter ration should be diff
ferent from that for the other seasons.
The liberal use Of roughage, supple
mented with the right amounts and
kinds of other nutritious feeds, will
maintain horse properly during the
winter. Idle farm horses, except
brood mares and growing stock, ordi-
narily do well ON ration composed
largely of the coarser hays, straws and
corn fodder. Cornstalk fields, grain
stubble fields, or pastures which have
not been closely grazed during the
summer are very desirable sources Of
q large part Of the winter maintenance
feed for such stock. It Is often adj
yisable to supplement the coarser
roughage with moderate supply Of
legume such as alfalfa, clover, vetch,
sorghum, soy-bean, or cowpea hay.
These hays are not only rich in pro-
tein and mineral matter, but, being
somewhat laxative in effect, they also
help to keep the digestive tract in
good condition. They are especially
valuable when fed with straw and sim
ilar feeds, for when SO used supple
mental ration Of grain is unnecessary.
The drinking of an abundance of pure
water by the horse will tend to in
crease the utilization Of dry roughage.
If impracticable to feed legume hay,
small quantity Of grain, preferably
oats, or, If more economical, corn or
barley, will serve to maintain the
horse in thrifty condition. One or two
bran mashes week or little linseed
meal each day will help to keep the
system in good condition and prevent
impaction resulting from consumption
of large amounts Of coarse roughage
improperly supplemented.
Salt for Horses.
An average Of about three-f0urth
ounce Of salt daily is sufficient for
most horses, except those doing heavy
work or when on dry feed. The con-
dition of the horse that has been prop
erly cared for in the open through the
winter is usually better than that Of
the stable horse. In some sections Of
the country, however, weather condi-
lions do not permit wintering horses
outdoors. Where the animals must be
kept in stables, these should be made
as sanitary and comfortable as pos
sible. An abundance of light and
proper ventilation Of the stable
throughout the entire year are essen
tial for complete sanitation and the
health Of the horse. A system of ven
tilation with fioor-outlet ventilators
will tend to carry Off foul air and reg
ulate the temperature, especially in
colder climates. 1t Is important that
the horse be protected from direct
drafts. Where windows are relied
upon for both light and ventilation
they should be high up from the floor.
and open inwardly from the top. Stalls
must be bedded. and cleaned daily, In
order to keep them dry and sanitary.
Clay floors are doubtless the best II
correctly built and properly attended
to. They must be kept smooth, with
slightly more slope for drainage than
is required for other types Of floors,
however.
Grass Paddock Helps.
In connection with the stable, large
paddock or Enclosure, especially
sodded one, helps considerably to
keep horses that are worked irregu-
larly in fit condition. The exercise
and grass thus made available are
both beneficial. This exercise in the
open will help to guard against filled
hooks, azoturia (so-called Monday
morning sickness) and other troubles.
A further aid to the health consists In
thorough grooming.
AS spring approaches the horse must
be put into condition for the heavy
work ahead. This fitting period varies
with the condition of the animal, or
dinarily lasting from two to four
weeks. A young horse. especially one
just broken, REQUIRES longer than the
mature animal. At this time the WIN
ter ration, consisting largely of coarse
roughages. should gradually give way
to a smaller feed of finer-Quality hay
and small quantity Of grain three
times daily. This ration should be
slowly increased until, with the be-
ginning Of light work, a 1,400-pound
horse will receive daily about fourteen
or fifteen pounds of inequality hay.
This gradual change from coarse
roughage to good quality feed will
have prepared the digestive tract for
handling eighteen to nineteen pounds
of grain and sixteen to eighteen pounds
of hay. which the horse will need when
doing heavy work. Along with the
more nourishing ration the work Of
the horse must be increased by de-
grees until he can, without overexer-
ton, do a full days work.