316 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



sweating while at work but this is not of great importance when the 

 benefits are considered. For work horses that are given pasture, other 

 laxative feeds should be taken out of the ration. Timothy hay may be 

 used as the roughage, and the concentrate ration should include grains 

 that are not laxative in character, thus making a properly balanced 

 ration. A necessary precaution is to avoid a sudden change to green 

 feed ; where a pasture crop is included in the ration for work horses, the 

 practice should be continuous, not intermittent. ' ' 



510. Corn silage. Until recent years little corn silage has been fed to 

 horses and mules, but it is now being used with success on many 

 farms. (296) It should not be the only roughage but should serve as a 

 partial substitute for hay. Because of its bulky nature, horses at hard 

 work can not consume much silage, but it is well suited to idle horses, 

 brood mares, and growing colts, due to its slightly laxative effect and its 

 tonic and appetizing qualities. Since poisoning may result from feed- 

 ing moldy silage to horses, only that of good quality should be used, and 

 this should be fed under very careful supervision. (397) 



Horses should be accustomed to silage gradually, and some may not 

 take to it readily at first. Not over 10 to 15 Ibs. per head daily had 

 best be fed to horses, tho larger allowances have been satisfactory in 

 some instances. If the silage contains much corn, the amount of grain 

 fed should be reduced accordingly. In trials by Trowbridge at the 

 Missouri Station 58 corn silage has been used with success and economy 

 as part of the roughage for wintering idle brood mares. 



511. Boots; tubers; fruits. The only importance of roots for horse 

 feeding in most sections of this country is as an aid to digestion, for the 

 cereals generally furnish nutriment at lower cost. (365) Carrots, es- 

 pecially relished by horses, are great favorites with horsemen when cost 

 of keep is not considered. They are most helpful when it is necessary to 

 carry horses along in high condition, as in stallion importing establish- 

 ments. (372) Parsnips rank next in value. (373) In his extensive 

 studies of roots for the horse Boussingault found 59 that it required 400 

 Ibs. of rutabagas (swedes) or somewhat over 350 Ibs. of carrots to re- 

 place 100 Ibs. of good meadow hay. (370) 



Boussingault found artichokes were eaten greedily and with good 

 results by horses, about 275 Ibs. of the tubers replacing 100 Ibs. of hay. 

 (375) Potatoes, according to Pott, 60 may be fed raw or cooked in amounts 

 as high as 17.5 Ibs. per day along with suitable dry feed. Larger quanti- 

 ties may cause digestive disturbances. Boussingault states that 280 Ibs. 

 of cooked potatoes mixed with cut straw replaced 100 Ibs. of hay. (374) 



As horses are usually fond of fresh fruit, it may sometimes be profitably 

 fed in moderate allowance when there is no market for it. Dried fruits, 

 slightly injured and therefore unsalable, have been successfully fed to 

 horses. (384) 



"Mo. Cir. 72; Bui. 179, p. 18. 



59 Rural Economy, p. 400. "Handb. Ernahr. u. Futter., II, 1907, p. 368. 



