32 



INJURIOUS FEEDING STUFFS. 



In feeding horses precautions siiould always be taken to avoid mate- 

 rials harmful in themselves, or those which have become harmful. 

 Dirt, small stones, etc., should be removed from grain b}' proper 

 screening, and all feeding stuffs should be clean. On this subject 

 Lavalard*^ says: 



Some of our recent experiments have had to do with the methods of feeding. They 

 cover a number of points. The first and perhaps the most important is the advantage 

 of cleaning the grain. Grandeau showed in his experiments that oats could be sat- 

 isfactorily freed of foreign grains and impurities by some of the well-known screen- 

 ing devices. He studied the composition of the impurities, and found that some of 

 them were injurious to the health of the horses. 



The importance of proper cleaning is illustrated by a point in our own experience. 

 A few years ago, after a very severe drought, we were compelled to feed oats containing 

 tares and leguminous seeds, some of which were those of the species of Lathyrus. 

 Symptoms of Lathyrus poisoning were noted in a number of horses. The attacks 

 were frequently severe and sometimes fatal. When oats were properly cleaned this 

 trouble was entirely obviated. Cleaning also increases the density of the oats by 

 removing mineral matter and dust, which may sometimes induce attacks of intestinal 

 obstruction, colic, etc. 



There are a number of plants which are poisonous to horses when 

 eaten in any considerable amount. The loco plants, mostly species of 

 Astragalus, are ordinaril}' regarded as of this class. These plants have 

 been studied b}^ the Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, and 

 Oklahoma stations among others, and by this Department, but the 

 results obtained are not entirely conclusive. The poisonous properties 

 of rattlebox ( Crotalaria sagiUalis) were demonstrated by the South 

 Dakota Station, and those of some lupines by the Montana Station. 

 According to recent experiments at the Vermont Station ^' the common 

 horsetail {E<2uisetum arvense) may cause poisoning when present in hay. 

 It was found that when horses were fed cured horsetail equal in amount 

 to not more than one-fourth of their coarse fodder ration, symptoms 

 of poisoning were noticed, and if the feeding was continued the horses 

 died. The symptoms of poisoning were less noticeable with young 

 than with old horses, and also when a liberal grain ration was supplied. 

 It was also observed that the green plant was less harmful than the 

 dry, possibly owing to the fact that green fodder is somewhat laxative. 



Feeds which are ordinarily wholesome may under certain conditions 

 be harmful. Thus there is a widespread and apparently justiliable 

 prejudice against moldy or decomposing feeding stuffs. Experi- 

 ments carried on at the Kansas and Indiana stations showed that the 

 continued feeding of moldy corn induced intestinal and nervous dis- 

 orders of a serious nature. It is a matter of common observation that 

 food which has been wet will ferment or sour readily and cause intes- 

 tinal disorders. This has to be guarded against especially in warm 



«Loc. cit. 



& Vermont Station Bui. 95. 



