46 



the carbohydrate group was divided. In the case of pentosans a steer 

 digested on an average 63.4, sheep 53.6, horse 45.5, and swine 47.9 

 per cent. In the case of crude fiber the values were, steer 56, sheep 

 55.1, horse 40.6, and swine 22.8 per cent. The vakies for starch were, 

 for a steer 96.6, sheep 89.4, horse 93.1, and swine 98.3. The vahies 

 for the undetermined constituents were, for a steer 44.8, sheep 32.9, 

 horse 42.3, and swine 28 per cent, and for total nitrogen-free extract, 

 steer 74.7, sheep 68.5, horse 71.1, and swine 85.6 per cent. As will 

 be observed the horse, generally speaking, digested different carbo- 

 hydrates less thoroughly than the ruminants but more thoroughly than 

 the swine. 



The fact that, other things being equal, horses digest their feed less 

 thoroughly than cattle, i. e., retain less nutritive material from any 

 given ration when it passes through the digestive tract, has been long 

 recognized. For this reason horse manure is richer than manure from 

 cattle. In other words, the horse manure contains a larger proportion 

 of the ration than cow manure, and hence, more of the nitrogen and 

 mineral matter, especially phosphoric acid and potash, originally pres- 

 ent in the ration. Investigations carried on by I. P. Roberts, G. C. 

 Watson, and others at the New York Cornell Station" have to do with 

 this subject. 



The value of the manure produced by horses was studied by Armsby * 

 at the Pennsylvania Station. Observations made with a number of 

 horses indicate that a horse produces annually about 12,7<»() pounds of 

 fresh manure, not including the amount dropped while at work. This 

 quantity, which would be worth about 113.50 as fertilizer, would 

 require the use of about 2,500 pounds of straw for bedding. According 

 to the author's calculations a ton of wheat straw economically used for 

 bedding horses may result in 6 tons of fresh manure, although in gen- 

 eral practice the amount is not likely to exceed 5 tons and may be 

 much less if few animals are .kept or the manure is infrequently 

 removed. 



RATIONS ACTUALLY FED AND FEEDING STANDARDS. 



The amount of the different feeding stuff's required and hence the 

 quantity of nutrients supplied to horses may be learned by observa- 

 tion or experiment or a combination of the two methods. Doubtless 

 all practical horse feeders supply rations which they believe are suited 

 to their horses' needs, and in stables where horses are fed in any con- 

 siderable number economy demands that the amount fed shall be fixed 

 and not vary according to the wishes of the feeder. When the feed- 

 ing stuffs used are weighed and the condition of the horses is noted, a 



« See especially New York Cornell Station Bui. 56, p. 169. 

 & Pennsylvania Station Rpt. 1892, p. 79. 



