188 The Horse Tndusrry in New York State 



feeding too much roughage a mistake 

 The most common error, particularly in the feeding of farm 

 work horses, is the feeding of too much timothy hay. In the first 

 place, a horse does not exercise very mnch judgment if he is 

 required to determine for himself the amount of roughage that he 

 is to consume. If, by any chance, he is turned loose in a feed 

 room where there is a bale of hay and a barrel of oats he would 

 feel obliged to eat all of both if it were possible. The same rule 

 applies in case the thoughtless farmer feels generous enough to 

 keep timothy and mixed hay before his horses at all times, carry- 

 ing the impression that, since grain is more expensive than hay, 

 if a horse will eat large amounts of such roughage he will require 

 a smaller amount of concentrates. The reverse is often true. 

 Overloading the digestive system of a horse with a relatively 

 indigestible product results in malnutrition, and invites troubles 

 to the respiratory system which finally wind up with labored 

 breathing and heaves. 



It must be remembered that a horse's stomach is relatively 

 small, holding only from twelve to fifteen quarts ; and, if a horse 

 is doing hard work, he needs concentrated feeds — the nutrients 

 must be digestible and easily assimilated. He should not be re- 

 quired to subsist largely on roughage products that require so 

 much time and energy in the simple process of mastication and 

 digestion. First, limit all the roughage to one pound per day of 

 average mixed hay to each one hundred pounds live weight of 

 the animal, and feed the bulk of this roughage at night rather 

 than in the morning or during the middle of the day. The grain 

 should constitute the bulk of the morning and noon meal. 



In the selection of roughage two factors must be considered. 

 First, if alfalfa or clover hay is available, it must be remembered 

 that it is not necessary to feed as much grain. Eight pounds of 

 alfalfa hay will supply quite as many energy units as fourteen 

 pounds of timothy hay. Second, idle horses should be given 

 relatively the same proportion of grain and roughage as working 

 horses, and the amount rather than the proportion should be re- 

 duced on account of the idleness or irregularity of work. It is not 

 difficult to suggest a grain ration suitable for feeding horses that 

 work every day. 



