72 THE ECONOMICS OF FEEDING HORSES 



be reduced with a consequent lessening of the cost. If 

 the additional 2 lbs. of the mixture were taken off, 

 reducing it to 32 lbs. of food per diem, it would still be 

 better than Eation I. by 3 lbs. of digestible starch per 

 week, and the cost would be reduced 6Jd. per horse per 

 week, and would be 6d. per week cheaper than Eation I. 

 Subject to the tests described above, this would be a 

 legitimate saving" of 26s. per year per horse, a con- 

 siderable item for a j&rm employing a large number of 

 horses. Per contra it is quite possible that Eation I. 

 is insufficient when tested as described. 



It should be pointed out that one item has been 

 omitted from the cost of these rations — namely, the 

 expense of mixing and preparing. Here, other things 

 being equal, a ration containing six ingredients is more 

 expensive than one containing only four, so that unless 

 there is some advantage in increase of nutritive value, 

 or lessening of prime cost, the greater expense in pre- 

 paration would make this a dearer food. As we have 

 seen, there is advantage in both these directions, and 

 so the extra charge for mixing is justified. 



Thus, by means of a careful analysis of the various 

 items in a diet, their nutritive values, market prices, 

 and relation to each other, it is possible to ascertain the 

 real value obtained for money expended, and, further, 

 by suitable alterations and substitutions, considerable 

 saving in the weekly forage account can be effected 

 without loss of efficiency in the horses. 



The table given below. Table IV., shows the cost of 

 100 heat units obtained from each of the common 

 foodstuffs at an average price : 



