288 PRODUCTIVE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS 



the amount gradually increased until he is allowed from 20 to 40 

 ears per day at maturity. In spite of this fact, when these very 

 horses come East, top our markets, and pass 1 under the management 

 of the city stable boss, corn isi absolutely prohibited as dangerous to 

 feed ; yet it requires a" long time to induce and teach some of these 

 horses to eat anything else." 



Other Concentrates. Dried brewer^ grains with shelled corn 

 and wheat bran, in amounts of 8, 4, and 2 pounds, respectively, 

 were found to give good results fed to street-car horses, in experi- 

 ments at the New Jersey 15 and Massachusetts stations. 16 About 

 one pound of linseed meal per head daily with corn and oats gave 

 satisfactory results with farm horses in trials at the Iowa station, 17 

 maintaining their weights arid spirits and willingness to work. On 

 account of its laxative tendencies, it should be used in only small 

 amounts (less than one pound per head daily, especially in summer) . 

 Cotton-seed meal, beet and cane molasses, dried distiller^ grains, 

 dried beet pulp, etc., are other concentrates used regularly in rations 

 for horses in different parts of the country. There is, therefore, a 

 great variety of feeds to choose from in feeding horses in almost all 

 sections; evidently there is no so-called one-ration for horses any 

 more than for other classes of farm animals. "Any feeding stuff or 

 combination of feeding stuffs that furnishes the necessary and 

 desirable nutrients at least cost should be the important consider- 

 ation in preparation of rations for farm horses and mules." 18 



Wintering Farm Horses. Farm work is comparatively light 

 in winter time in northern States, and -the horses then often stand 

 idle for a considerable period. If they are fed expensive feeds, like 

 timothy hay and oats, at this time, they will soon " eat their heads 

 off," and it is impossible to keep them in good working condition 

 at a low feed cost. Cornstalks or corn fodder furnishes an excellent 

 cheap roughage for winter feeding of horses; cereal straws are also 

 valuable; a few ears of ^corn are often all the grain the horses receive 

 with this roughage. Indian-corn silage and straw make a satisfac- 

 tory winter ration for horses, if the former is of good quality and fed 

 in amounts up to 40 pounds per head daily, care being taken that no 

 frozen, decayed or moldy silage is put before them. 18a 



The question of cheap substitutes for oats and timothy for 



15 Report 1892. 



16 Bulletin 99. 

 "Bulletin 109. 



"North Carolina Bulletin 189. 



18 aMich. Quart. Bui. i, 2; Ills. Ext. Cir. 16; Breeders' Gaz., 1919, p. 169. 



