EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol.. XIV. May, 1903. No. 9. 



Perhaps no line of re.seareb with fiirm aniiiial.s promises more impor- 

 tant returns to station workers than digestion experiments and other 

 studies with horses. This is brought out by a recent compilation of 

 investigations on horse feeding, b}^ Dr. C. F. Langworthy, of this 

 Office, which summarizes late work on the subject, and especially such 

 as has been done by the American stations. It is evident from this 

 that while there is an abundance of data regarding the composition of 

 the comparative!}' small number of feeding stuffs ordinarily given to 

 horses, the data regarding the digestibility of the different materials 

 is quite limited, both in respect to the number of feeding stuti's studied 

 and the number of experiments with an}^ given feed. For instance, 

 record was found of only a})out thirty-six tests Avith oats, thirt}' with 

 meadow hay, and twelve with alfalfa, feeding stutfs which have appar- 

 ently been most often selected for studies of digestibility. These 

 num1)ers do not include numerous expi'riments in which these mate- 

 rials form part of a mixed ration and no attempt was made to determine 

 the digestibility of single materials. 



It appears that the work of the stations in the United States along 

 these lines is limited to a single series which was carried on at the 

 Maryland Statio.n. Further experiments are much needed with such 

 conmion feeding stutfs as green grasses and clover, timothy, chner, 

 and other hav-^, corn silage, wheat, barley, wheat bran, wheat slu)rts, 

 dried brewers' grains, gluten meal, linseed meal, etc. The digesti- 

 bility of some of these has apparently never been studied with horses, 

 while in other cases more figures are needed in order that satisfactory 

 average values may be available. 



Additional feeding experinuMits under different conditions could also 

 be made with profit to supply accurate data regarding the comparative 

 economy of various feeding stuff's and rations, their wholesomeness 

 and effectiveness when fed for long periods, and related topics. It is 

 a common practice to feed horses an abiuidant ration before they are 

 sold in order that they may reach market in good condition. So far 

 as can be learned ):)ractically no studies have been made of the value 



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