POTATOES 71 



To avoid the disadvantages enumerated, potatoes should be fed in 

 moderate quantities, and only sound potatoes with the sprouts, if present, 

 removed. Sufficient quantities of roughage and concentrates (oil cake 

 and crushed barley) should be fed with them. When fed in large quan- 

 tity, animals do better if the potatoes are washed, reduced to coarsely 

 cut pieces and cooked, steamed, or leached with water for 12 to 24 hours. 

 The water should be drained oft" before feeding. The transition to full 

 potato rations for horses should be made gradually — in the course of 

 two weeks. The addition of linseed meal during the change is advis- 

 able. It is important that the potatoes be fed in a freshly prepared state 

 and that scrupulous cleanliness be observed. 



The use of potatoes. It is generally conceded that potatoes are poor 

 feed for horses. While they provide a certain amount of bulk or vol- 

 ume, they lack strength-giving and endurance-giving qualities. The 

 animals take on fat, but the tissues and muscles become soft. On ac- 

 count of their lack of lime salts potatoes are also unsuitable for young 

 colts. However, during the second and third years, and for horses at 

 comparative rest they may be fed with the mere addition of chaffed straw 

 and hay. Work horses may receive one-quarter to one-third of the 

 grain ration in the form of potatoes, to the amount of 10 pounds. Be- 

 fore feeding, the potatoes should be thoroughly cleaned, cut into pieces, 

 leached in water for 24 hours, or, better, steamed (discard water) then 

 crushed and mixed with salt and equal parts of chaft'ed straw and some 

 crushed oats. In addition, liberal amounts of good hay should be given. 

 The steamed potatoes should be fed within twenty-four hours after 

 steaming. The mangers should be kept clean and free from leavings. 



Recently Paechter and Voeltz have expressed themselves very en- 

 thusiastically in favor of steamed potatoes for horses. The practice of 

 feeding potatoes is of very great economic importance in good potato 

 years. Paechter recommends substituting potatoes for the entire 

 oat ration, giving in addition to the potatoes only hay and chaffed 

 straw. Efficiency is said to be kept up to the standard and the number 

 of cases of colic reduced. According to Voeltz, 10 pounds of raw and 

 25 pounds of steamed potatoes may be given for 1,000 pounds live 

 weight. In the spring of the year when the potatoes begin to sprout 

 and to decay they must be sorted and fed only after being steamed. 

 Leguminous seeds or legume hay should not be fed with liberal rations 

 of potatoes. The same should be said in regard to feedingstuffs rich 

 in sugar (sugar beets, feed sugar, stock beets). 



Ruminants may be given large rations of potatoes to advantage. Ma- 

 ture cattle and sheep may receive one-half of the entire nutrient ra- 

 tion in the form of potatoes, but young growing animals should not re- 

 ceive more than one-third. For milk cows daily rations should not 

 exceed 30 pounds, fattening cattle 50 pounds, wethers and suckling ewes 

 2 to 3 pounds, fattening sheep 5 pounds per head. For ruminants as 

 well as for other animals an abundance of concentrates and roughage 



