THE NUTRITION OF THE HORSE. 



257 



particularly satisfactory, for most work horses. It is believed that for 

 each 100 pounds of live weight a pound of roughage is a reasonable allow- 

 ance, and that one-half of this roughage may consist to good advantage 

 of alfalfa, and the balance of a timothy mixture. 



B. Brewers' Dried Gr.'^ixs for Horses. 



Brewers' dried grains, the residue of the beer breweries, contain from 

 20 to 28 per cent, of protein, 13 to 17 per cent, of fiber, 5 to 7 per cent, 

 of fat, and from 40 to 46 per cent, of extract matter. They contain more 

 protein, fat and fibre than oats, some 14 to 20 per cent, less extract mat- 

 ter, and possess about 15 per cent, less net energy value. Voorhees ^ of 

 the New Jersey station, as a result of feeding trials, stated, " That on the 

 whole a pound of dried brewers' grains was quite as useful as a pound of 

 oats in a ration for work horses." Foreign investigators have stated that 

 they can replace one-half of the oat ration. In New England, while they 

 have been used more or less, one fails to learn of their general employ- 

 ment as a part of the daily ration. If used especially for horses, it is quite 

 important that they be dried before being allowed to sour or decompose. 



This station has fed them as a component of horse rations with satis- 

 factory results. The same two horses that were used in the alfalfa experi- 

 ment were employed. They did moderate farm work which consisted 

 principally of plowing, harrowing and teaming. 



Ration I. 

 5 pounds of ground oats. 

 3 pounds of brewers' grains. 

 8 pounds of cracked corn. 

 2 pounds of wheat bran. 

 15 pounds of timothy mixture. 



The ration contained the following digestible nutrients in pounds and 

 net energy value in therms on the basis of 1,000 pounds of live weight: — 



The above comparisons indicate that the ration fed contained sub- 

 stantially sufficient digestible protein and total nutrients. The horses 

 were weighed weekly in the morning, before feeding and watering. 



» Bui. No. 92, N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta. 



