246 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



Pasture. — Horses at pasture not only obtain succulent feed, but 

 must exercise to secure it. Good pasture will maintain idle horses 

 satisfactorily ; for those at hard work pasture without grain is insuffi- 

 cient. Not only do the various tame and wild grasses furnish pasture 

 for horses but as these animals are not subject to bloat they may 

 graze the legumes as well. City horses are often turned on pasture 

 so that their feet may recover from the ill effects of hard pavements. 



Corn silage. — Until recent years little corn silage has been fed to 

 horses and mules, but it is now being used with success on many 

 farms. It should not be the only roughage but should serve as a 

 partial substitute for hay. While horses at hard work can not con- 

 sume much silage, because of its bulky nature, it is well suited to idle 

 horses, brood mares, and growing colts. Since poisoning may result 

 from feeding moldy silage to horses, only that of good quality should 

 be used, and this fed under intelligent supervision. 



Roots; tubers; fruits. — The only importance of roots for horse 

 feeding in most sections of this country is as an aid to digestion, for 

 the cereals generally furnish nutriment at lower cost. Carrots, 

 especially relished by horses, are great favorites with horsemen when 

 cost of keep is not considered. It requires about 350 lbs. of carrots 

 or 400 lbs. of rutabagas to replace 100 lbs. of good meadow hay. 

 Potatoes may be fed, cooked or raw, in amounts up to 17.5 lbs. per 

 head daily. Fresh fruit may sometimes be profitably fed in moderate 

 amounts when there is no market for it, and dried fruits, slightly 

 injured and thereby unsalable, have been successfully used for horses. 



QUESTIONS 



1. How should corn be used for horse feeding? 



2. What is the value of the other cereals for horses? 



3. Name and tell the value of other carbonaceous concentrates suitable for 

 horses. 



4. Discuss the use and value of at least six protein-rich concentrates suitable 

 for horses. Which are used most commonly in your section? 



5. Why is timothy hay a favorite for horses? 



G. What is the value of cereal hay, prairie hay, brome hay, millet hay, 

 Bermuda hay, and Johnson-grass hay? 



7. Discuss the use of corn fodder and stover, sorghum fodder, and straw. 



8. What precautions should be observed in feeding legume hay to horses? 



9. Show by examples how clover or alfalfa hay may be substituted for 

 timothy hay. 



10. Discuss the value for horses of succulent feeds — pasture, corn silage, and 

 roots. 



