No. 4.] DISEASE IN HORSES. 263 



in quality due to improper curing, preservation, or the 

 growth of vegetable or animal parasites upon the feed. To be 

 sure, crops grown upon an impoverished soil are not as nu- 

 tritious as those grown on a fertile soil. They do not nour- 

 ish the animal body as well, 1)ut the effects upon the health of 

 the animal to which they are fed are not to be feared so nmch 

 as those arising from the use of such things as musty, mow- 

 burned hay ; heated, mouldy or partially decayed grains or 

 roots. Such substances are not only deficient in nutritive 

 constituents, but may contain material produced by decom- 

 position or the growth of organisms which act as poisons 

 when ingested by the animal. The rusts, mildews and smuts 

 are included among these substances. Improperly cured 

 hay which has become dusty exercises an injurious influence 

 upon the respiratory organs of the horse. Musty, mouldy 

 hay causes irritation, indigestion, colic, purgation, etc., 

 when fed to horses. Partially fermented corn, corn meal, 

 bran or other grains })roduce similar eftect. Oats that have 

 become covered with moulds, either in the field or while in 

 storage, or other feeds in like condition, bring on in many 

 instances, when fed, disease of the kidneys, characterized by 

 passage of large quantities of urine. The production of 

 abortion by feeding ergotized rye or grasses to pregnant 

 animals is an example of disease caused by the use of feed 

 defective in quality. Ergot may also cause gangrene of the 

 extremities or disorders of the nervous system. 



What has been said reo;ardin<j the use of foods of inferior 

 quality applies in general to all of our farm animals, but 

 more especially to the horse. This animal is more liable to 

 suffer on this account, owing to the structure and sensitive- 

 ness of its digestive organs. 



Frequency of feeding is indicated by the anatomical ar- 

 rancrement of the digestive oro;ans of the horse. On averao;e 

 pasturing they feed almost continuously, whereas cattle feed 

 for a few hours during the early part of the day, remaining 

 quiet and remasticating the food during the middle of the 

 day, and feeding again in the afternoon. Gastric digestion 

 goes on rapidly in equines, and as soon as the stomach 

 becomes partially emptied the blood supply is greatly dimin- 

 ished. If a large amount of food is taken into the stomach 



