56 FARM ANIMALS 



NARROW VS. WIDE RATIONS 



The narrow ration is always desirable for 

 growing colts and for mares until the colt is weaned. 

 Some difference of opinion prevails, however, 

 regarding the comparative value of narrow and 

 wide rations for the adult horse at work. In one 

 set of experiments where corn and timothy as a 

 ration were compared with a ration of oats, clover 

 and timothy, it was found that the horses which 

 received only the corn and timothy did as well as 

 the others and that consequently for work animals 

 a wide nutritive ration was equal to a narrow one 

 and of course considerably cheaper. Other ex- 

 periments continued along the same line, however, 

 showed that corn meal and timothy did not sustain 

 work horses as well as oats, wheat and clover and 

 upon this experiment it was recommended that a 

 narrow ration be fed, particularly in summer. In 

 winter, however, a wider ration was suggested. 



It has been found practically impossible to 

 maintain horses on an exclusive grain ration. No 

 farmer, however, would think of feeding in this 

 manner and the fact has simply a scientific value. 

 It appears that horses as well as other herbivorous 

 animals need some coarse forage along with the 

 grain in the ration. 



Considerable attention has been given to 

 determining a maintenance ration for horses. As 

 a rule when horses are not at work they are fed the 

 usual form of coarse forage, timothy, clover, 

 alfalfa, corn stalks, cowpea hay, etc., and a small 

 quantity of grain or none at all. In such cases 

 hay is fed ad libitum and the amount eaten per 

 day is therefore not determined. Alfalfa has been 

 extensively tested for the purpose of determining 



