112 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



attributed to excessive indulgence in them. In its ordinary use as fodder, 

 hay is given both long and chaffed. It has already been stated that hay, 

 when used as chaff, is mixed with sweet straw, as a rule, but chaff of good 

 quality should have at least a double proportion of hay to straw, and hay 

 is sometimes passed through the chaff machine and used alone. 



Long hay is placed in the rack which is generally above the horse's 

 head, and it may be looked upon as absolutely essential for animals which 

 stand much in the stable, not only on account of its nutritive value, but 

 for the further reason that it gives them a certain amount of occupation 

 during a portion of the day which, in the absence of the rack food, the 

 animal would probably occupy in consuming the bedding. 



Straw. — For the purpose of feeding cattle, straw may be looked upon 

 as a staple article of diet. It is also eaten in considerable quantities by 

 horses which are turned into the straw-yard, and also by others in the 

 stables, where they occupy some of their idle time in eating the straw which 

 is used for litter. Indeed, it is often found necessary to apply the muzzle 

 in order to prevent the indulgence of this somewhat dangerous habit. The 

 principal and most profitable use of straw is when it is converted into chaff 

 along with hay; there is no doubt that it very much assists in the prepara- 

 tion of food by compelling the animal to masticate it thoroughly. The 

 following table shows the composition of different kinds of straw ; of which 

 wheat and oat straw are considered the best as food for horses: — 



It may be remarked here that barley straw is generally considered to 

 be very indigestible, and quite unfit for food for horses. 



Pea and bean straw may be placed in the same category It is true 

 that they contain a large quantity of nitrogenous matter, and according to 

 the analyses they would be estimated as possessing a high feeding value, 

 but they contain a large quantity of woody fibre, which renders them 

 indigestible, and, excepting in emergencies, they should be excluded from 

 the diet of the horse. 



Peas, beans, and lentils are very useful articles of food of the 

 concentrated order, containing a very large proportion of nitrogenous 



