FARM ANIMALS 63 



The digestive capacity of the horse as compared 

 with the cow is quite small. On this account 

 horses should not be overfed at any time since 

 otherwise there may be a loss in undigested feeding 

 stuffs and colic may result. In some experiments 

 instituted for gaining light on this point it was 

 found that by reducing the amount of hay the per- 

 centage of colic was considerably lowered. The 

 grain ration in such cases may be increased and 

 the hay ration diminished so as to increase the 

 effectiveness of the whole ration without increasing 

 its cost. Most investigators claim that horses are 

 unable to digest their feeds as completely as cattle 

 or sheep. Such a statement is probable when it 

 is remembered that the feeding stuffs do not re- 

 main as long in the stomach of the horse as in that 

 of the ruminant. In tests of this matter in Utah, 

 however, it was found that horses make as good 

 use of their feed as cattle, and that in general they 

 are as easily brought to maturity as steers. Since 

 the market price of the horse is partly determined 

 by the weight of the horse, it is desirable to know 

 the cost of the gain in horses in order to estimate 

 the economy of raising horses for market. Very 

 few careful experiments have, been made with 

 this idea in mind. It appears, however, that the 

 cost of gain in colts is about Gets, per pound and 

 as long as the developing colt does not cost much 

 more than this there is considerable profit in horse 

 raising. 



Injurious Feeding Stuffs. Attention must al- 

 ways be given to the quality of the forage and grain 

 fed to horses in order to detect any injurious 

 qualities in these materials. Ergot occurs on the 

 seeds of many grasses and on rye. If fed during 

 long periods this fungus causes serious disease in 

 horses. Numerous plants are known to be poison- 



