FARM ANIMALS 55 



in a fat condition. For this purpose the teeth 

 must be in good shape and attention should be 

 given to the digestive organs. In the case of most 

 feeders who prepare horses for market the hay 

 is fed in self-feeders and grain is given four or five 

 times a day. According to one scheme which is 

 in considerable favor the horses are fed corn in the 

 ear at 5 a.m., receive water at 7 a.m., hay in the 

 racks and three quarts of a mixture of one-third 

 oats and two-thirds bran at 9a.m., corn in the ear 

 again at 12 m., oats, bran and hay at 3 p.m., 

 water at 4 p.m., corn and hay at 6 p.m. The 

 daily corn ration is about fifteen ears. The clover 

 hay must be free from defects and some advantage 

 is derived from steaming the grain. Linseed meal 

 should be given occasionally, say once per week. 

 In a feeding regime such as this, horses gain from 

 three to five pounds per day and in rare instances 

 even seven pounds daily. Bran is an excellent 

 feed for both colts and mares of the draft type. In 

 fattening draft horses for market, from ten to 

 twelve pounds of a mixture of corn and peas, or 

 bran, oats and corn may be given or a mixture of 

 three parts oats, two parts bran, or a mixture of 

 corn, peas, bran, wheat, and shorts. In such 

 cases the daily ration may consist of eighteen ears 

 of corn, given in two feeds, fifteen quarts of oats 

 and bran mixed with about ten pounds of hay. 

 According to the experience of a number of feeders, 

 however, the fattening of horses for market may 

 be best and most quickly accomplished by feeding 

 them a mixture of boiled barley, ground corn, and 

 molasses. Some feeders recommend a feed con- 

 sisting of three pounds boiled barley, two pounds 

 of corn meal and linseed meal at the rate of one 

 pound per day. 



