FARM ANIMALS 79 



opinion that the mule can do more work under 

 longer hours and in more trying circumstances and 

 with greater hardship than the horse. It is not 

 true, however, as sometimes asserted, that the 

 mule eats less than the horse. On the contrary 

 the mule has an excellent appetite. However, 

 the mule can go longer without food and can live 

 on coarser and more unpalatable food than could 

 be expected to give results with the horse. Con- 

 trary to a prevailing belief also, the mule is equally 

 susceptible to various diseases as the horse. In 

 the Philippines our mules suffered as much as 

 horses from surra. Glanders has always been 

 dreaded as one of the scourges of the army mule. 

 Even colic and other digestive troubles familiar 

 to horse raisers also occur among mules. 



The jack may begin service at the age of two 

 years, but should not be allowed to reach a maxi- 

 mum until he is mature. With mules also it is a 

 mistake to put them to work before they are fully 

 mature. Many of our military authorities have 

 had serious trouble in attempting to put three-year 

 old mules at a maximum of work. At this time 

 the milk teeth are being shed and replaced by oth- 

 ers and they are unable to eat enough to keep them 

 in strength and condition. While the mule is usu- 

 ally sold on the market just after two years of age 

 he should not be put to work at full rate until five. 



THE FEEDING OF MULES 



As would naturally be supposed the mule can be 

 fed on the same materials and in about the same 

 rations as the horse. Time of feeding and the meth- 

 od of giving the food should also be the same. A 

 large number of experiments have been carried out, 

 especially in the southern states, Jamaica, South 



