244 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 188. 



(d) Limited amounts of oil cakes were used in the ration. 



(e) The nutritive ratio was widened from 1: 4.5 to 1: 7.1. 



(/) Glucose was found to be completely digested; starch, from 76 to 98 per 

 cent. ; cellulose that could be hydrolyzed, from 40 to 68 per cent. ; and 

 crude cellulose, from 32 to 58 per cent. 

 (g) The average horse of 1,000 pounds needed for — 



Maintenance, at rest, .76 pound of digestible protein plus 8.8 pounds of 

 carbohydrates (including fat multiplied by 2.4) which contains 15,000 

 to 16,000 calories and has a nutritive ratio of 1: 10 to 1: 11. 

 Maintenance and repair, 1 pound digestible protein plus 9.9 pounds di- 

 gestible carbohydrates (including fat multiplied by 2.4) which con- 

 tains 20,000 calories and has a nutritive ratio of 1:10. 

 Light Work, 1.3 pounds digestible protein and 11.6 pounds digestible 

 carbohydrates (including fat multiplied by 2.4) which contains some 

 25,000 calories ha\'ing a nutritive ratio of 1:7. This amount is suf- 

 ficient for horses doing 500,000 kilogrammeters of work daily. 



3. Experiments in the French army. 



The following nutrients were found to be needed per 1,000 pounds of live 

 weight as a result of experiments made by military officers on French 

 army horses in 1887-89, the ration being composed largely of oats 

 and hay: — 



Time of peace, 1.1 pounds digestible protein plus 10.8 pounds digestible car- 

 bohydrates, having a nutritive ratio of 1:9. 



Time of war, 1.35 pounds digestible protein plus 10.8 pounds digestible car- 

 bohydrates ; nutritive ratio of 1:8. 



4. Lavalard found that omnibus and hack horses needed 1.45 pounds digestible 



protein plus 10.4 pounds digestible carbohydrates; nutritive ratio of 

 1 : 7 per 1,000 pounds live weight. 

 6. A few of Wolff's conclusions may be mentioned (1876-85). * 



(a) For maintenance of a 1,100-pound horse on hay alone, 23.1 pounds were 



required containing 1 .26 pounds of digestible protein and 9.25 pounds 

 of total digestible organic nutrients, with a nutritive ratio of 1: 6.3. 



(b) An average day's work for a farm or draft horse of 1,100 pounds, in good 



condition, is 2,000,000 kilogrammeters, which requires 5.09 pounds 

 of digestible nutrients plus 9.25 pounds for maintenance, or a total 

 of 14.34 pounds containing 1.90 pounds protein and having a ratio 

 of 1:6.6. 



(c) When fed an average quantity of hay exclusively, a 1,100-pound horse 



cannot take over 26.4 pounds, and can do but little work on such a 

 diet. The addition of some clover hay enables the horse to do about 

 one-fourth of a day's work, while if given a full diet of alfalfa, 26 

 pounds, the horse is able to do fully one-half an average day's work. 



(d) The ordinary food for the work horse is like amounts of hay and oats (13 



pounds of hay and 13 pounds of oats for a 1,100-pound horse). The 

 proportions of each can be varied, depending upon the amount of the 

 work required. 



(e) The carbohydrates furnish the chief source of heat and energy for the 



horse. 



(/) One kilo of oats (2.2 pounds) added to a work ration enabled the horse to 

 do substantially 530,400 kilogrammeters more of work, and 1 kilo of 

 maize, 700,000 kilogrammeters. Maize proved a very satisfactory 

 food to improve the weight and appearance of the horse. 



(g) The horse bean when fed in an amount not exceeding 2 pounds daily 

 proved quite satisfactory as a source of increased protein in the ration, 

 but as a source of energy it hardly equaled oats. 



1 Grundlagen f. d. rationelle FUtterung des Pferdes, 1886. 



