728 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Oct. 2, 1920. 



digestive and assimilative powers, and one which eats sh)wly, may not be 

 sufficient for other horses. Peculiarities of this nature can only be known 

 and dealt with by the man in charge of the horses. 



Salt is usually supplied to hor.-es, and is much relished by them, but it is 

 not taken in quantities large enough to have much influence on para.sitic or 

 other disease as is usually supposed. It probably acts more as an aid t<> 

 digestion and in rendering the food more appetising, and so improves the 

 general health. Thus, as with everything which improves the general health, 

 it increases the animal's power of resistance to the effects of parasites. 



Horse Foodstuffs. 



The preceding remarks on the general principles of horse-feeding may be 

 usefully considered in conjunction with the following brief notes on the chief 

 materials used as food in this State. 



Oats. — ^The best of all grains for use in feeding horses, and not sufficiently 

 appreciated in this country — a very safe grain to feed, as the amount of hull 

 on the grain prevents overgorging and massing in the stomach. Especially 

 useful for horses on hard and fast work. The various food constituents are 

 very well balanced in oats. 



Maize {Corn\ — A very valuable horse-feed, but the food constituents are 

 not so well balanced as in oats, and better results are obtained if maize is fed 

 with the addition of some bran, linseed meal, or hay, or chaff made from 

 legumes such as clover or lucerne to supply the deficiencies. Providing tiie 

 ration is otherwise satisfactory, maize is as good as oats for the average working 

 horse, but not so good as oats for young growing animals. 



Wheat. — An unsatisfactory grain to feed to horses on account of the danger 

 of engorgememt an'l its tendency to form a pasty mass. Unlike oats, it 

 should always be fed mixed up in chaff to prevent trouble, and horses which 

 have not been accustomed to wheat should be brought on to it carefully. Its 

 nutriti\e value is high, but it is not so well balanced as oats. 



Barley. — Not much used in this State, but a good horse-feed, especially 

 if lightly crushed and fed with bran and chaff. It can replace oats or maize 

 if the ration is otherwise balanced. 



Chaff. — Oaten or wheaten chaff is the bulk food most used in this country, 

 and is likely to remain so. Its value varies very greatly (as before mentioned), 

 but when of good quality it is doubtful if any bulk food is superior to it in food 

 value, handiness, economy and suitability for average working horses. 

 Feeding exclu.sively on chaff of low quality has its di'awbacks. 



Bran. — A very excellent food for working horses in moderate quantities. 

 Its value is not solely to be judgcfl by its chemical analysis, which does not 

 do it full justice. It has a mild laxative effect, supplies various salts much 

 needed b/ growing animals, is very useful for sick animals, and can be 

 utilised to balance rations poor in protein and mineral salts. 



Lucerne {hay and chnff). — Not considered a very satisfactoiy sole bulk 

 food for horses, but very nitrogenous ; it will greatly increase the food 



