2(J4 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



after a prolonged fast, it is not digested. The organ sud- 

 denly becomes distended, the walls paralyzed and inactive. 

 Blood does not enter the vessels surrounding the glands, 

 consequently no juices are secreted and no digestion takes 

 place. Under these conditions after a short time fermenta- 

 tion of the food mass becomes established, gas is given off, 

 resulting in an attack of gastric flatulence, flatulent colic, or 

 perhaps rupture of the stomach follows. Experience has 

 demonstrated that the same quantity of feed, divided into 

 three parts, given at morning, noon and night, gives better 

 results with horses than when given at two feeds. 



Sudden changes of feed should be avoided. A man can 

 make no greater mistake in the treatment of his horse than 

 to take him from a pasture, where he has been without grain, 

 and, in anticipation of a hard day's work or a long drive, 

 feed him a liberal quantity of oats, corn or other grains. The 

 folly of such treatment is apparent to any one accustomed to 

 the care of stock. One often sees, however, just such mis- 

 takes made. The general rule, that all sudden changes in 

 quantity or kind of food should be avoided, should be kept 

 in mind. It applies to hay as well as grain. The change 

 from oats to corn is especially liable to bring on colic. The 

 change from corn to oats is not as dangerous, but may cause 

 trouble. The addition to a grain ration of a considerable 

 quantity of oil or gluten meal, rye, barley, wheat or pease 

 may be followed by disordered digestion. So susceptible is 

 the horse to sudden changes of feed that even a feed of clear 

 bran may give rise to flatulent colic or other similar intesti- 

 nal disease. An abrupt change from hay to grass, or from 

 well-cured old hay to new, or from coarse, late-cut to fine 

 early-cut hay, may cause disease. Substituting hayed oats 

 or ripe oat straw for hay is no less a cause of intestinal 

 disturbances. Wilted grass is even more dangerous in this 

 respect than that perfectly fresh. Ensilage, roots, apples, 

 etc., should only be given in small quantities at first. Grad- 

 ually increasing quantities may be given until the digestive 

 system becomes accustomed to the change. Uncooked pota- 

 toes in quantities not exceeding one or two quarts fed to 

 horses are very apt to cause colic. 



The practice of changing the grain during the day should 



