268 THE HANDBOOK FOR PEACTICAL FARMERS 



grain and one forage. The owner insists that this is the most 

 practical and economical ration that he can feed with safety to 

 his horses. In a second locality, at no great distance from the 

 first, the list of food materials is found to be changing, and in 

 some cases entirely changed, yet with the same claim of superi- 

 ority or necessity as before. Such study convinces us that the 

 range of suitable foods is very wide. 



Grams and concentrates. — Most of the grains fed to the horse 

 belong to the cereal group — oats, corn, barley, rye, and wheat. 

 These grains are similar in composition. They contain a fairly 

 low water and protein content and a considerable amount of 

 nitrogen-free extract, fiber, and fat. They are palatable and 

 digestible. The choice of cereal grains for feeding the horse is 

 largely to be determined by relative cost. 



Oats. — No other grain is so safe for horse-feeding as old oats, 

 and the animal is rarely harmed if by accident the feeder gives 

 an over-supply. The safety is due to the oat hull, which causes 

 a given weight of grain to possess considerable volmne. It is 

 said that horses fed on oats show a spirit that cannot be attained 

 by the use of any other feeding-stuff. Many urge that this is 

 due to a peculiar stimulating substance, called avenin, which the 

 oat is said to possess. Oats may have a flavor that makes them 

 a favorite food ; the most careful study, however, has failed to 

 reveal any substance of the nature of avenin. Notwithstanding 

 this, oats have many advantages as a food for horses. 



Corn. — Next to oats, corn is the common grain for horses in 

 America. It is used largely in the Corn Belt and to the south- 

 ward. While much has been said against the use of corn, ordi- 

 narily it is the cheapest of all the cereal grains. A given quan- 

 tity furnishes more energy than does the same quantity of any 

 other food. It furnishes the largest amount of digestible 

 nutrients at the least cost, and is universally palatable. Although 

 corn is not equal to oats as a grain for horses, nevertheless, be- 

 cause of its low cost and its high feeding value, this grain will be 

 used extensively where a large number of horses must be eco- 

 nomically maintained. 



Corn and oats. — Corn and oats, mixed half and half accord- 

 ing to weight, make a very good grain ration for horses and are 

 much cheaper than oats alone. In a three-years test with geld- 

 ings and brood mares worked on farms and at heavy draft, this 

 mixture gave equally as good results as whole oats and reduced 

 the cost of the ration approximately ten per cent. The bulk of 

 oats overcomes, in large measure, the objectionable features of 



