LIVE STOCK. 



91 



found in wells and ponds In close 

 proximity to manure heaps and cess- 

 pools, is frequently the cause of 

 diarrhoea, dysentery, and many other 

 diseases of stock, while the water 

 that is impregnated with different poi- 

 sons and contaminated with specific 

 media of contagion produces death 

 In very many iustances. 



Considering, first, the tiuantlty oX 

 water required by the horse, it may 

 be stated that when our animals have 

 access to water continually, they 

 never drink to excess. Were the 

 horse subjected to ship voyages or 

 any other circumstances where he 

 must depend upon his attendant for 

 the supply of water, it may be rough- 

 ly stated that each horse requires 

 a daily average of about eight gallons 

 of water. This will vary somewhat 

 upon the character of his food; if 

 upon green food, less water will be 

 needed than when fed upon dry hay 

 and grain. 



The time of giving water should be 

 carefully studied. At rest, the horse 

 should receive water at least three 

 times a day; when at work, more fre- 

 quently. The rule should be to give 

 in small quantities and often. There 

 is a popular fallacy that if a horse is 

 warm he should not be allowed to 

 drink, many claiming that the first 

 swallow of water "founders" the ani- 

 mal, or produces colic. This is erro- 

 neous. No matter how warm a horse 

 may be, it is always entirely safe to 

 allow him from six to ten swallows 

 of water. If this is given on going 

 into the stable, he should be given 

 at once a pound or two of hay, and, 

 if much overheated or fatigued, al- 

 lowed to rest about an hour before 

 further feeding. If water be now of- 

 fered him it will in many cases be 

 refused, or at least he will drink but 

 sparing^ The danger, then, is not 

 in the ■ n?st swallow" of water, but 

 is due to the excessive quantity that 

 the animal will take when warm if he 

 is not restrained. 



Water should never be given to 



horses when it is ice-cold. It may not 

 be necessary to add hot water, but 

 care should be taken that water in- 

 tended for horses is not exposed for 

 too long in troughs, etc., in extremely 

 cold weather. Water freshly drawn 

 from the well is not likely to cause 

 narm. The danger from drinking 

 cold water is materially lessened if 

 the horse has not been deprived for a 

 too great length, of time. 



In referen>ce to the purity of water. 

 Smith, in his "Veterinary Hygiene," 

 classes spring water, deep-well water 

 and upland surface water as whole- 

 some; stored rainwater and surface 

 water from cultivated land, as sus- 

 picious; river water to which sewage 

 gains access, and shallow-well water 

 as dangerous. The water that is 

 used for drinking purposes for stock 

 so largely throughout some districts 

 cannot but be impure. I refer to 

 those sections where there Is an Im- 

 pervious clay subsoil. It is the cus- 

 tom to scoop, or hollow out, a 

 large basin in the pastures. During 

 rains these basins become filled with 

 water. The clay subsoil being almost 

 impervious, acts as a jug, and there 

 is no escape for the water except by 

 evaporation. Such water is stag;nant, 

 but would be kept comparatively 

 fresh by subsequent rains were it not 

 for the fact that much organic mat- 

 ter is carried into it by surface drain- 

 age during each succeeding storm. 

 This organic matter soon undergoes 

 decomposition, and, as a result, we 

 find diseases of different kinds much 

 more prevalent where this water is 

 drunk than where the water supply 

 is wholesome. Again, it must not be 

 lost sight of that stagnant surface 

 water Is much more certainly con- 

 one diseased animal of the herd, thus 

 taminated than is running water by 

 endangering the remainder. 



About the only exanlljpation of 

 water that can be made by the aver- 

 age stock raiser is to observe its 

 taste, color, smell and clearness. Pure 

 water is clear, and is without taste or 

 smell. 



