THE NUTRITION OF THE HORSE. 



253 



1 Medium work. 2 Hard work. 



It appears that while the Kansas ration contained ample protein on 

 the basis of accepted standards, it was deficient in total digestible nutri- 

 ents and in therms of net energy. It seems to have been successful for 

 the army horses doing the regular work required of them, but it is doubt- 

 ful to the writer if it would prove sufficient in amount for horses doing 

 medium to hard farm work. 



Experimental. 

 In order to test the efficiency of this ration, two young western horses 

 designated as Tom and Joe, which were purchased the winter previous, 

 and which had been doing farm work during the spring and summer, were 

 placed, Sept. 11, 1916, on the Kansas ration. Tom received 2| pounds of 

 oats, 9| pounds of cracked corn and 12 pounds of alfalfa hay, and Joe 

 received 2j pounds of oats, 9 pounds of cracked corn and 11 pounds of 

 alfalfa. The hay fed for the first three weeks was grown upon the station 

 grounds, was fine, but mixed with more or less foreign grasses. On Octo- 

 ber 6 it was replaced with a coarser but better grade, this second cutting 

 said to have been grown in Michigan. The ration was fed in three por- 

 tions daily, and the horses weighed on each Monday morning before feed- 

 ing and watering. 



