222 ELEMENTARY TREATISE ON STOCK FEEDS AND FEEDING 



telligently and systematically, may not induce a case of colic dur- 

 ing the natural lifetime of the animal. But if the entire day's ra- 

 tion of oats is fed at one time, instead of its being divided into 

 three parts, it is liable to so derange the digestive apparatus as to 

 set up a fatal case of flatulent colic, because the digestive organs 

 in the horse or mule are not constructed, nor prepared, to 

 "handle" such an excessive quantity of food material all at once. 

 In such a case, are we to blame the oats for the trouble, or the 

 unintelligent manner in which they were fed to the animal? 

 And so it is with other kinds and classes of concentrated feeds ; 

 they require system in their administration to prevent indiges- 

 tion, colic, etc., and to produce the best results in the capacity 

 of the animal for work. 



"A point of very great importance for the owner or feeder 

 to bear in mind, therefore, is, that an animal's food may be 

 properly balanced as to its digestible nutrients ; it may be cor- 

 rect as to quantity and nutritive ratio; in fact, be perfect in 

 every particular, so far as supplying the needs of the animal 

 is concerned ; and yet, if an intelligent system is not employed 

 in the feeding of it, the otherwise perfect requirements may be 

 altogether vitiated." 



Rations for Horses and Mules. A few rations fed in different 

 parts of the country are given below. These rations are given to 

 illustrate the several concentrates and roughage employed by 

 practical feeders. Many combinations may be compounded into 

 balanced rations for horses and mules doing different 'kinds of 

 work. Of course the make up of a ration is controlled by the 

 market values of the available feeds. By studying the text in 

 this section the student should have no trouble in compounding 

 rations for all classes of horses and mules, no matter what 

 degree of work they may be required to perform. A variety of 

 feeds in a ration is satisfactory. 



