A PASTURE HAXDBOOK 



75 



Turning onto grass may well take the place of medicine in some 

 ailments of horses and mules, because of the high nutritive and 

 supplementary value of green grass. An animal not accustomed to 

 green feed should be tm-ned on pasture only from 15 to 30 minutes a 

 day at first, the time being gradually increased from day to day. 



Pasturing working horses and mides regidarly at night keeps the 

 digestive system accustomed to succulent feed. This practice decreases 

 the quantity of hay needed with the evening ration before being 

 turned out. Horses and mules that are tiu-ned on night pasture sweat 

 more at work than those on dry feed, but this disadvantage is over- 

 balanced by the benefits derived during hot weather, when the pasture 

 provides a place to roll, water at will, and a clean, cool place to rest. 



Animals accustomed to a heavy grain ration should get small 

 feedings of grain for a few days going onto pasture for a long idle 

 period to reduce dangers of overeating that may result in impaction, 

 rupture of the stomach, or other troubles. It is generally best to reduce 

 the grain ration about half for animals not doing hea^'y work and on 

 pasture part of the time. 



Figure 20. — Good pastures for work horses cut the cost of feed and labor. 



In addition to benefiting the general health of the animals placed 

 on pasture and reducing feed costs, the maximum utilization of pas- 

 turage is of considerable value m reducing the amount of chore labor 

 required for feeding, grooming, and stable cleaning (fig. 20). 



Cornstalk fields, grain-stubble fields, or pastures which have not 

 been closely grazed during the summer are desirable sources of a 

 large part of the winter maintenance feed for horses. 



PASTURES FOR SHEEP AND GOATS 



Although sheep can make good use of hay, grain, and other har- 

 vested feeds, they lead all farm animals in their ability to maintain 

 themselves, to fatten, and to produce carcasses of high quality on 

 pasture alone. Their fondness for numerous plants, especially weeds 



