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cities there are many firms that own hundreds or even thousands of horses. 

 It is a matter of business economy on their part to understand and apply 

 scientific principles in feeding horses, and it is from the experience of such 

 firms that much of our knowledge concerning the amount of nutriment 

 needed by work horses comes. Some of these have conducted careful experi- 

 ments along this line. The results of many such experiments are reported 

 in Prof. Henry's book on Feeds and Feeding, and anyone who has consider- 

 able numbers of horses to feed should by all means study this book. 



" It is generally considered sufficient to feed an idle horse the following 

 amounts of digestible nutrients per thousand pounds live weight daily : 



" Standard Maintenance Ration. 



Protein .7 lbs. 



Fuel • 8.3 lbs. 



" This ration furnishes enough protein to keep the tissues of the body in 

 proper repair, and enough heat and energy to keep the body warm and to 

 maintain the ordinary vital activities, such as breathing, beat of the heart, 

 digesting food, etc. ; but it does not furnish enough to permit of growing^ 

 new tissue, or of doing any external work except a small amount of exercise. 

 Yet some horses seem to be able to gain a small amount of flesh even on 

 this ration, if they are well cared for, and have no work to do. 



"The maintenance ration (ration for mature, idle animals) used by the 

 Paris Cab Company above referred to is as follows : 



Protein. Fuel, 

 lbs. lbs. 



.84 lbs. beans .17 .47 



3.91 lbs. oats .36 2.2G 



2.88 lbs. corn .23 2.20 



.57 lbs. corn cake .15 .23 



2.07 lbs. hay .11 .85 



1.12 lbs. straw .02 .50 



1.04 6.51 



" These horses, as above stated, weigh 800-900 lbs. The above is the 

 average ration, not necessarily the ration for any one day. In this country 

 idle horses are usually fed only roughage, and as the labour of digestion is 

 greater for coarse materials than for concentrated food, it is necessary to feed 

 slightly more digestible nutrients in order to furnish the extra energy 

 required for digesting the coarse material. The following are all fairly 

 satisfactory : 



" Rations for Mature, Idle Horses. 



(The amounts given are the daily feed per 1,000 lbs; live w eight.) 



Protein. — lbs. Fuel — lbs. 



Standard ration .70 8.30 



(1)— 20 lbs timothy hay .58 8.84— low in pro. 



(2) — 18 lbs. wheat hay .61 8.66— low in pro. 



(3) — 18 lbs. oat hay .72 8.40 — well balanced. 



(4) — 18 lbs. meadow fescue hay .76 8.50 — well balanced. 



(5)— 18 lbs. brome hay .81 7.90— well balanced. 



(6) — 20 lbs. red top hay .78 8.34 — well balanced. 



(7)_ {14 ^s. straw \ ^4 8.34— well balanced. 



^ 15 lbs. alfalfa hay j 



