678 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



physical effect upon the horse. Of these the leguminous forages, such 

 as clover and alfalfa, are the richest 'in energy values. Because of the 

 high water content, however, all of these green forages are rather low 

 in energy values. When these forage crops are dried and cured the result- 

 ing hay is richer in proportion to its bulk than the green material; in 

 other words, it has been concentrated by the evaporation of the greater 

 part of the water present. When the hay is properly cured it undergoes 

 a peculiar sort of fermentation or oxidation which materially improves 

 its quality by diminishing the quantity of the fibrous or woody material 

 and increasing the relative amount of other nutrients. Hay that has 

 undergone proper fermentation has a better flavor and agrees better 

 with the horse and is apparently more digestible than hay that has dried 

 quickly in the sun without fermentation. Because of the change, the 

 energy value of dry, well-cured hay is approximately twice that of the 

 green forage. 



The cereal grains, oats, corn, barley, rye and wheat, are concentrated 

 in their nature, that is, they contain relatively small amounts of fibrous, 

 or woody material and very large quantities of the more easily digested 

 nutrients. Their water content is also very low. Hence these cereal 

 grains are rather rich in energy values, approximately twice that of the 

 dry, well-cured hay. From these figures it would seem that one pound 

 of grain is equal approximately to two pounds of dry hay and four 

 pounds of green forage so far as energy values are concerned. This is 

 an important observation when calculating the food requirements for 

 work. 



Work performed by a horse. — It would be a good day's labor for a 1000- 

 pound horse to travel twenty miles over a smooth, level dirt road and 

 draw a wagon with a load of 2000 pounds. The draft of the loaded 

 wagon would not be far from 100 pounds. The determining of the 

 amount of food energy to accomplish this task is too involved to discuss 

 here, but it can be calculated very approximately. 



It is important to note the influence of speed on the labor expended. 

 A horse that trots 20 miles a day must have more food than when he 

 walks 20 miles. In the same way, draft animals require food somewhat 

 in proportion to the pace with which they travel over a given distance. 



Food requirements for work. — Many experiments have been made to 

 determine the exact relation between the amount of muscular work 

 performed and the amount of nutrients required per day. The standard 

 rations now found in German stables are the result of such experiments. 

 According to these observations, a 1000-pound horse requires 11.4 



