34 FARM ANIMALS 



periments rye was substituted pound for pound for 

 oats but in general it should not be used to replace 

 more than one-third of the oats in the ordinary 

 ration. Rye may be fed whole, cracked, boiled, 

 as flour, or baked as bread. While cockle seed is 

 sometimes considered harmful and is found in 

 rye screenings it has been found by certain tests 

 in Germany that rye screenings containing a con- 

 siderable quantity of cockle seed in rations of two 

 pounds per day did not cause harm. 



Wheat. Wheat cannot be profitably fed to 

 horses when in prime condition, as it is of too much 

 value for use in the manufacture of flour. When- 

 ever the market price is low, however, or when 

 the wheat has been injured by frost or in elevator 

 fires, it may be fed with good results. Wheat is 

 quite readily digested, but should usually be mixed 

 with some other grain in order to obtain the best 

 results. In North Dakota a comparison of ground 

 wheat, and bran with oats showed that the wheat 

 and bran ration was considerably superior to 

 oats. When horses were fed a fine quality of 

 wheat for three or four weeks in succession in 

 rations of 14 pounds daily, it was found that 

 horses working for nine hours a day maintained 

 their health and increased in weight. In some 

 cases, however, the digestion ultimately became 

 somewhat deranged and a considerable portion 

 of the wheat kernels passed through the alimentary 

 canal undigested. Apparently it is not advisable 

 for the average farmer to use wheat as an exclusive 

 grain ration for horses. In feeding stallions, a 

 certain amount of wheat is often substituted for 

 part of the oats in the grain ration. It is neces- 

 sary, however, in such rations to use the utmost 

 precaution since wheat may produce an irritation 



