FARM ANIMALS 37 



Nearly all horsemen say that beans are especially 

 suited as a food before long-continued, sudden, 

 or severe exertions, and this seems to be well 

 founded. In some of the leading racing stables 

 of England a considerable proportion of beans is 

 used in the ration of young horses during training. 

 In experiments with work horses, it has been 

 found that not more than four pounds of the usual 

 amount of oats or equivalent grain in the ration 

 should be replaced with beans. It must be re- 

 membered also that on account of the high protein 

 content of beans an additional amount of starchy 

 food may be given to balance the ration. 



Peas. Peas contain twice as much nitroge- 

 nous material as oats and are, therefore, indi- 

 cated as a valuable grain food where energy or 

 the production of tissue is required. Peas are 

 practically equal to beans in feeding value, but 

 since they have a slightly constipating effect it is 

 recommended by Stewart that a mixture containing 

 eight parts peas, eight parts corn, and one part 

 flax seed be ground together and suitable rations 

 given from this mixture. The continued feeding 

 of peas in large rations is occasionally said to pro- 

 duce a bad effect on the kidneys, causing bloody 

 urine. This complaint, however, has not thus 

 far been substantiated. Peas as well as beans may 

 be fed cracked, ground, or cooked. On account 

 of their hardness it is undesirable to feed them 

 whole. 



Various other leguminous seeds such as vetches, 

 lupines, lentils, flat pea, carob bean, etc., have 

 been fed to horses to some extent, but their use 

 will naturally be confined to localities in which 

 these materials can be obtained conveniently and at 

 a reasonable price. 



