THE NUTRITION OF THE HORSE. 



259 



Ration IV. 



On August 14, because the horses were doing somewhat less work, Ra- 

 tion I was reduced 1 pound each of oats and cracked corn. 



Weights. 



August 21, . 

 August 28, . 

 September 4, 

 September 11, 



Joe. 



1,305 

 1,310 

 1,265 

 1,295 



It will be seen that the rations fed the two horses from about the middle 

 of May until September 11 contained from 3 to 5 pounds of the brewers' 

 grains out of a total of 18 pounds of grain (or from 17 to 28 per cent.)- At 

 the beginning the horses weighed 1,400 and 1,240 pounds, respectively, 

 and at the close, 1,435 and 1,295 pounds. During this time variations in 

 weight were noted, due perhaps partly to increase or decrease in work, and 

 partly to weather conditions. The horses kept in uniformly good condition 

 throughout the season, indicating that the brewers' grains in the amounts 

 fed exerted no adverse effect upon them. 



The writer is inclined to favor Rations I and II as satisfactory combina- 

 tions, especiallj'' if the brewers' grains can be purchased for less than the 

 oats. It is not advisable under most conditions to include too large an 

 amount of brewers' grains in the ration, for the reason that they will fur- 

 nish too much protein and not sufficient digestible matter. 



C. Velvet Bean Feed for Horses. 



The velvet bean, of which there are many varieties, is a tropical legume 

 and is grown largely in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. It needs a 

 long season for its maturity and is rarely grown north of Savannah. It is 

 a rank grower, the vines trailing on the ground to a length of from 15 to 

 75 feet; they are difficult to secure for hay, and have been used largely 

 for grazing. It is now more common to pick the best of the beans and use 

 them without hulling for cattle, or hulled as a food for pigs. Machinery 

 has been devised for drying and grinding the unhuUed beans, thus pro- 

 ducing the velvet bean feed, and it is said that the industry is increasing 

 rapidly. 



