332 



FEEDS AND FEEDING 



Example rations for various classes of work horses continued 



1,000-lb. horse at light work 



1. Timothy hay, 14 Ibs. 

 Oats, 4 Ibs. 



Linseed meal, 0.75 Ib. 



2. Timothy hay, 14 Ibs. 

 Corn, 2.5 Ibs. 

 Linseed meal, 1.5 Ibs. 



3. Legume hay, 14 Ibs. 

 Corn, 3.5 Ibs. 



4. Red clover hay, 7 Ibs. 

 Timothy hay, 7 Ibs. 

 Corn, 3 Ibs. 

 Linseed meal, 0.5 Ib. 



5. Alfalfa hay, 7 Ibs. 

 Timothy hay, 7 Ibs. 

 Corn, 3.5 Ibs. 



6. Shredded corn fodder, 6 Ibs. 

 Legume hay, 7 Ibs. 



Oats, 4.75 Ibs. 



7. Oat or barley straw, 4 Ibs. 

 Legume hay, 10 Ibs. 

 Oats, 4.75 Ibs. 



1,000-lb. idle horse 



1. Timothy hay, 15 Ibs. 

 Linseed meal, 1.25 Ibs. 



2. Legume hay, 16 Ibs. 



3. Timothy hay, 8 Ibs. 

 Bed clover hay, 8 Ibs. 



4. Corn stover, 9 Ibs. 

 Legume hay, 8 Ibs. 



5. Corn silage, 13 Ibs. 

 Legume hay, 8 Ibs. 



Oat or barley straw, 4 Ibs. 



6. Oat or barley straw, 6 Ibs. 

 Legume hay, 10 Ibs. 

 Corn, 1 Ib. 



7. Kafir stover, 7 Ibs. 

 Alfalfa hay, 8 Ibs. 



8. Johnson grass hay, 8 Ibs. 

 Cowpea hay, 8 Ibs. 



531. Wintering the farm horse. It has already been shown that the 

 farm horse when idle during the winter may be economically wintered 

 wholly, or in part, on roughages. (448) Rather than keep the idle horse 

 too closely confined at such times, it is preferable to turn him out daily 

 into a lot, protected from the wind. (466) At shedding time, feed some 

 grain even if the horses are idle. Light grain feeding, together with 

 light work, should begin a few weeks before the spring work starts, for 

 horses are soft after a winter of idleness. 



532. The mule. It is often stated that mules require less feed than 

 horses to do a given amount of work. Some evidence in this direction is 

 furnished by the investigation of the cost of horse and mule labor in 

 Missouri, reviewed in the previous chapter. (513) On the other hand, 

 others assert that there is no foundation for this statement. At 3 years 

 of age, when shedding his milk teeth, the mule is especially susceptible to 

 digestive disorders. Otherwise, he is an excellent feeder, as a rule being 

 more sensible in eating and less likely to gorge himself than the horse, 

 and hence less subject to colic or founder. Indeed, mules are often fed 

 at troughs, like cattle, and allowed to eat all they desire. The mule is 

 not fastidious in his taste and consumes roughages which the horse will 

 refuse. He also endures hot weather better, and, because of the peculiar 

 shape of the foot and its thick, strong wall and sole, is less subject than 



