254 BOAED OF AGRICULTUEE. [Pub. Doc. 



Systematic Feeding and Watering as a 

 Preventative of Disease in Horses. 



BY PROF. J AS. B. PAIGE, VETERINARIAN TO THE BOARD. 



I propose ill this short paper to discuss very briefly a few 

 of the more important points suggested by the above title. 

 My idea is to show how many diseases of horses are referable 

 to a faulty system of feeding or watering, or both combined, 

 and how they may be prevented hy the application of the 

 principles that should guide us in this matter. 



The subject is by no means a new one, numerous articles 

 relative to it having already appeared in our books and 

 agricultural papers ; but it would seem, from the great 

 number of erroneous ideas which people entertain and put 

 into practice in this connection, that the information im- 

 parted has not been productive of much good. No one 

 appreciates this more than the practising veterinarian, who 

 can trace, in a large majority of the cases of intestinal dis- 

 ease, founder, etc., which he is called to treat, the cause of 

 the same to some fault either in quantity, quality or other 

 condition of the food used, or to some condition of the animal 

 when the food or water was given. From my own observa- 

 tions I am led to conclude that it is not so much on acount 

 of ignorance of the principles that should guide us in the 

 feeding of horses, so as to prevent the occurrence of disease, 

 as it is on account of failure to put the principles into prac- 

 tice. Many people are thoughtless or negligent about these 

 things. This applies more especially in rural districts. It 

 frequently happens that a fatal attack of colic is the result 

 of thoughtlessly giving a horse a seemingly small quantity 

 of green grass in early spring time, when he is not accus- 

 tomed to it, or of carelessly throwing a few small potatoes 

 or specked apples into his manger Avhen they are removed 

 from the cellar at the close of winter. Excluding fatalities 



