284 Feeds and Feeding. 



received in the food. We are therefore disposed to assume 

 about .45 pouuds of digestible protein per 1,000 pounds live 

 weight as the minimum quantity for the maintenance of a horse. 

 Since oats contain about nine per cent, of digestible protein, 

 about five pounds of oats daily would supply all the protein 

 necessary to replace the wear of muscular tissue in the horse 

 during rest. This amount of oats would contain about 4.3 pounds 

 of organic matter, or 2.7 less than required according to the re- 

 sults of Grandeau's experiments. The horse would therefore be 

 unable to hold his own on five pounds of oats alone, but would 

 need nearly as much hay in addition. (134) 



445. Nutritive ratio for work horses. In the experiments by 

 Orandeau conducted in 1889-90, the question of the most profit- 

 able nutritive ratio for work horses was considered. l (132-4) In 

 place of the ration previously fed, having a nutritive ratio of 

 about 1 : 7, an Indian corn and straw ration, having a ratio of 

 1 : 10, and one of beans and straw, with a ratio of 1 : 3, were fed. 

 The effect of these rations was studied with three horses for a 

 year, they being at rest in the stall, or given walking or trot- 

 ting exercise, or work at the sweep at a walking or trotting 

 pace, or finally given work before the carriage. The rations 

 varied of course with the work performed, but the same propor- 

 tions of each feed given during rest were continued during the 

 other periods, the quantities only being increased. The corn ra- 

 tion fed during rest was 9.4 pounds corn, 5.4 pounds cut straw j 

 the bean ration 9 pounds beans, 8.5 pounds cut straw. The straw 

 fed was barley straw during 1889 and oat straw during 1890. 

 The average weight of the three horses during the whole experi- 

 ment was, for corn periods 976.8 and for bean periods 1,045.5 

 pounds. The increase in weight was partly due to the larger 

 quantity in nutrients of the bean ration, amounting to about 6 per 

 cent. In spite of the larger quantities of nutrients fed during the 

 bean periods, the effect of the rations was about the same, and 

 when a difference occurred it was in favor of the corn. A better 

 utilization of the fodder must therefore have taken place during the 

 corn periods, since there was no evidence of any difference in the 



1 Ann. de la Sci. Agr., 1892, p. 1. 



