Feeding and Care of the Horse 1807 



to his horses. In a second locality, at no great distance from the first, 

 the list of food materials is found to be changing, and in some cases entirely 

 changed, yet with the same claim of superiority or necessity as before. 

 Such study convinces us that the range of suitable foods is very wide. 



Grains. — Most of the grains fed to the horse belong to the cereal 

 group — oats, corn, barley, rye, and wheat. These grains are similar 

 in composition. They contain a fairly low water and protein content 

 and a considerable amount of nitrogen-free extract, fiber, and fat. 

 They are palatable and digestible. The choice of cereal grains for 

 feeding the horse is largely to be determined by relative cost. 



No other grain is so safe for horse-feeding as old oats, and the animal 



Fig. 115. — One method of reducing the cost of production 



is rarely harmed if by accident the feeder gives an oversupply. This 

 safety is due to the oat hull, which causes a given weight of grain 

 to possess considerable volume. It is said that horses fed on oats show 

 a spirit that cannot be attained by the use of any other feeding-stuff. 

 Many urge that this is due to a peculiar stimulating substance, called 

 avenin, which the oat is said to possess. Oats may have a flavor that 

 makes them a favorite food; the most careful chemical study, however, 

 has failed to reveal any substance of the nature of avenin. Notwith- 

 standing this, oats have many advantages as a food for horses. 



Next to oats, corn is the common grain for horses in America. It is 

 used largely in the Corn Belt and to the southward. While much has 

 been said against the use of corn, ordinarily it is the cheapest of all the 

 cereal grains. A given quantity furnishes more energy than does the 

 same quantity of any other food. It furnishes the largest amount of 

 digestible nutrients at the least cost, and is universally palatable. 



