46 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



Disadvantages. — Under certain conditions the feeding of fresh meadow 

 hay may lead to actual disease, especially when the change from dry feed- 

 ing to green feeding (soiling) has been too abrupt. Among the disorders 

 to be feared are tympanitis or bloat^, indigestion, colic, abortion, diarrhea. 

 These unfortunate results are favored by dew or rain (on the grass), by 

 "heating" of the grass before feeding, greedy feeding (especially after 

 partial starvation), and by drinking water immediately after feeding. 



By regulating these conditions serious consequences may be guarded 

 against. In particular, sudden changes of feed should be avoided. This 

 is best accomplished by mixing the green forage with hay or chaffed 

 straw for a few days, or by feeding dry forage immediately before giving 

 the animals access to the green. The green forage should be fed as fresh 

 as possible and never more than 24 hours after cutting. When stored, 

 even for this short period, it should be spread out in thin layers in a cool 

 place, best on a raised lattice-work, to permit the circulation of air under 

 and through it. 



The following plants, when fed in quantity exert an unfavorable in- 

 fluence upon the secretion of milk and its quality : 



(a) Chives {Allium ursinum), Sisymbrium alliaria s. Alliaria alliaria, 

 germander (Teucrium scordium) and Thlaspi arvense. (All but the 

 first named are European species.) All of the numerous species of 

 Allium (garlic, the common onion, the wild onion, leek, etc.). 



The above when eaten by cows impart the odor of onions or garlic to 

 milk and its products. 



(&) Wormwood {Artemisia absinthium), ragweed or hogweed {Am- 

 brosia artimisiafolia), hedge hyssop {Gratiola officinalis), and tansy 

 {Tanacetum vidgare) impart a bitter taste to milk. 



{c) Rape {Brassica napus) and mustard (various species of Sinapis) 

 impart a flavor of mustard. 



(d) True chamomile {Matricaria chamomilla) imparts a nauseous 

 aromatic taste. 



{e) The common butterwort {Pinguicida vulgaris) produces slimy or 

 viscous milk. 



(/) Different species of Euphorbia (spurges) and madder {Rubia 

 tinctor) cause a red coloration of the milk. 



{g) The sedges {Cyperacecu) and scouring rushes and horsetails 

 (Equisetacese) cause a diminution of the milk secretion (excepting the 

 species already discussed). 



Practical use. — The meadow grasses, like all green forages, are rich in 

 water content and voluminous. Therefore unless supplemented by other 

 feed they are not adapted to feeding horses, as they tend to distend the 

 digestive canal unduly and interfere with normal respiration. In addi- 

 tion, the meadow grasses are not sufficiently nutritive. Horses subsist- 

 ing upon them tire out and sweat easily. On the other hand, the meadow 



5The gases, or mixture of gases, which cause tympanitis, consist principally of C O2 up to 

 80 percent, methane up to 50 percent, and hydrogen. 



