38 



the water excreted leaves the bod}' in the feces, urine, perspiration, 

 and breath. The amount eliminated in each, according- to ^Yolfi■,* 

 increases with the amount of water consumed, the largest amount 

 being excreted in the feces. In experiments which he carried on, the 

 total amount of water consumed ranged from 17.363 kilograms to 

 34.272 kilograms (38.3 to 75.6 pounds). The feces contained from 

 40.3 to 47.3 per cent of the total amount excreted; the urine from 

 21.2 to 34.9 per cent. 



In addition to the water drunk by horses, a considerable amount is 

 obtained in the more or less succulent food eaten. The amount of 

 water required is influenced by a number of factors, including the 

 season of the year, temperature of the surrounding air, character of 

 the feed, the individual peculiarities of the horse, the amount and 

 character of the work performed, and probably others. The amount 

 of water needed increases with the temperature and with the amount 

 of work performed, since it is very evident that both of these factors 

 increase the amount which is given ofi" from the body in the form of 

 perspiration. Muscular work also increases the amount of water 

 vapor excreted in the breath. According to Grandeau and Leclerc,* 

 a horse used in one of their experiments, when at rest, evaporated 6.4 

 pounds of water per day; when walking, 8.6 pounds; when walking 

 and drawing a load, 12.7 pounds; when trotting, 13.4 pounds, and 

 when trotting and drawing a load, 20.6 pounds. It is evident from 

 these figures that the amount of water excreted, and hence the amount 

 required, varies with the work performed. 



It has been found that less water is required when the ration con- 

 sists largel}' of concentrated feed than when large amounts of coarse 

 fodder are consumed, and it is a matter of common observation that 

 less water is consumed when green, succulent feeds form a consider- 

 able part of the ration than when it consists of dry feed. That the 

 amount of water taken, even in dry feed, may be considerable is shown 

 by the fact that a ration of 12.1 pounds oats and 15.4 pounds hay, 

 according to Wolff's « calculation, furnishes some 4.1 pounds water. 

 A succulent ration would furnish much more. In Grandeau and 

 Leclerc's experiments with the Paris Cab Company's horses it was 

 found that with a mixed ration the average proportion of water drunk 

 to dry matter supplied was 2.1:1 when the horses were at rest, and 

 3.6:1 when they were used for cab work. In some of Wolff's experi- 

 ments the proportions varied from 2.35:1 to 3.5:1. The effect of the 

 amount of Avork performed and of individual peculiarities on the 

 amount of water required is illustrated by the following figures 

 obtained by Grandeau and Leclerc: Two horses consumed respectively 

 24.9 and 30.7 pounds of water per day when their work consisted only 



aLandw. Jahrb., 1887, Sup. 3. 

 &Ami. Sci. Agron., 1888, II, p. 276. 



