30 FARM ANIMALS 



According to some experiments 4 pounds of 

 barley are equal to 6 pounds of oats. Boiled 

 barley is perhaps the best grain for colts. It 

 gives a rapid growth and great strength of bone 

 and muscle as well as sleek coat. In Germany a 

 direct comparison of barley and oats showed that 

 these grains were about equal in value as horse 

 feed. As a result of these tests a ration was 

 recommended for farm horses containing one- 

 third oats, one-third barley, and one-third beans. 

 In a comparison of barley and oats in North 

 Dakota with heavy work horses barley did not 

 prove quite as valuable pound for pound as oats, 

 especially when the horses were taxed to the 

 limit of their endurance. Some horses do not take 

 so kindly to barley as to oats and the same fact is 

 observed occasionally with mules. Malted barley 

 proved not to be equal to whole barley in a con- 

 tinuation of this test. In fact, it did not prove to 

 be an economical feed for horses. A number of 

 horses were also fed on a mixture of malt and 

 bran. This mixture, however, as compared with 

 oats did not keep the horses in as good flesh nor 

 did it produce an equal amount of work. 



Corn. This is the king of all grains for fatten- 

 ing purposes and for the production of energy. 

 On account of its low protein content, however, 

 corn should not be used extensively in feeding 

 growing colts. Good corn, however, may be sub- 

 stituted for oats without injury to the health of 

 animals. Old horses may not be able to eat it 

 without previous grinding. A mixture containing 

 50 per cent, corn, 15 to 20 per cent, cracked beans, 

 10 to 15 per cent, bran, and 10 to 20 per cent, of 

 malt makes an excellent ration for a horse when 10 

 to 15 pounds of the mixture are used daily. An- 



