HORSES. 58 



eases, paralysis and abortion in breeding animals. A 

 sudden change from dry to green food often causes 

 diarrhea, as also does new hay or oats, and especially is 

 this the case with horses that are kept for fast work. 

 On the contrary, a change of diet from green food to a 

 dry and comparatively indigestible food will often cause 

 constipation and indigestion, with other complications 

 as a result. This is very frequently seen in the change 

 of food that is given to horses when taken from the ru- 

 ral districts to large cities. 



COOKING FOOD. There are several reasons why 

 the dry foods used for feeding the domestic animals 

 should be cooked. First, is that of economy, the saving 

 being from fifteen to twenty-five per cent, besides less- 

 ening the tendency to disease, and consequent loss 

 thereby. It has also been proven that animals fed with 

 steam cooked food, take on fat much faster than those 

 that are fed on the same quantity of dry uncooked food 

 showing that a considerable saving can be made in 

 time required for fattening animals for market, and al- 

 lowing the owner to dispose of them sooner than if dry 

 fed, thus saving the feed that would be required to be 

 given if kept feeding for a longer time. 



Second. It would allow of the safe feeding of food 

 that had been partly spoiled by being improperly cured 

 that is, mildewed and containing the various fungi 

 in large quantities. Musty hay and oats could be mixed 

 with other materials and when properly steamed would 

 be perfectly harmless and wholesome. Various appara- 

 tus are used, mostly consisting of an iron boiler with 

 a connecting furnace and tubes for conducting the 

 steam to the tubs containing the food to be cooked. 

 It requires little or no attention and a very small 



