DITIFiWX OF AXI}fAL 77r«/.' I \7)/.'f 411 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



bhc tipi>i''l the scales at 1,1-''..".. It is iuterostinf? to note, in this connection, that the 

 fieMiny- nsed in 11)11-12 weighed 1,375 in the fall aiul l.^.*.") in tlie sprinu', and the mare 

 nscd in 1912-13, tipped the scales at 1,350 in the fall and 1.145 in tiie spring. ThiH 

 is according' to Arinsby, who says "experiment has shown that the increase (in the 

 maintenance ration of horse?) is not proportional to the weight of the animal, but 

 approximately to the amount of surface which it exposes, so that the large animal 

 requires less food in proportion to its weight to maintain it than does the small one." 

 Jordan also claims that •' sommvhat larger amounts of protein and carix (hydrates are 

 considered necessary with small horses." It must be understood that it is not the 

 intention of the writer to "• make a case" in favour of the draught breeds, but it seems 

 opportune at this moment to correct the wrong ideas which most people have about 

 this matter. 



In conclusion, it may be said that a farmer who wishes to use this method of 

 feeding must remember that the animal must be gradually taken away from work, in 

 the fall, at the same time as the ration is cut down, whil.-^t in the spring, the ration 

 and work should be gradually increased. At the Station we replaced one-half jjound 

 of oats per day, by the same weight both of straw and carrot, whilst the hay from 

 grasses replaced the timothy. In the spring, the reverse is done until the animal is 

 on full feed when work, aiven gradually at first, is performed during ten hours every 

 day, weather permitting. 



That the ration is an economical one can readily be understood when it is said 

 that it cost $10.90 to feed this mare during 150 days, during which time she received 

 1.T25 pounds of hay, valued at $7 per ton, 1,612 pounds of straw at $-1, and 1,725 pounds 

 of carrots at $2. "The box stall in which she stood was bedded with shavings, and she 

 left during the winter 113 pounds of straw which was weighed and credited to her. 



COST OF FEED OF WEANLINGS. 



There is not much data on the cost of feed for colts until they are ready to work 

 and earn their living. This has led us to weigh all the feed received by a weanling, 

 with the exception of grass which he ate in a small paddock which was practically 

 bare all the time. It must be remarked that this colt spent all the winter outside, 

 having only a sin.gle-boarded shed for a shelter. As the temperature went down to 

 31° below zero and the animal never even shivered, it can easily be seen that farmers 

 need not be afraid of this way of wintering colts. It is certainly a very good ])lan 

 if a person wishes to feed heavily, which should be done if any size is to be attained 

 by ihe animal. 



Teed eaten by a colt from birth, May 31, 1913, until Aiiril 1, 1914: — 



Hay, 816 pounds at $7 per ton $ 5 71 



Oa.ts, 1,01 S pounds at 1 '5 cent per pound 1") 27 



Bran, 339 25 pounds at 1 cent per pound 3 39 



Wheat, 2H pounds at 1 •.'"> cent per pound 38 



Oil cake. IC pounds at 1 '5 cent per pound 24 



Skim-milk, 1,2G0 pounds at '2 cent per pound 2 r>2 , 



S27 r.i 



The sire of this colt docs not weigh 1,100 pounds and the dam's average weight 

 for six months (she was weighed once a month), is 1,051 pounds. The colt, on the 

 day when he was 10 months old, weighed 735 pounds, whidi shows that he will weigh 

 over 1,200 and possibly 1,300 at maturity. He took more feed, to warm his body, 

 because he was wintered outside, but his limhs are in line shape, which might certainly 

 not have been the case, had he been kept in the stable with <uch heavy feeding. 



It is intended to weigh all feed eaten l)y this young stallion — a registered French 

 Canadian — until he is 3 years of age; also to do the same with at least one of the foals 

 to be dropped this spring (1914). 



Cap Rouge. 



