EFFICIENCY OF THE HORSE 35 



Feeds containing much fat or protein, or both, tend to run 

 higher than the average, but ordinarily the total heat value 

 does not vary widely as between the different feeding stuffs. 

 If we assume the ration at Halstad to have been composed of 

 mixed timothy and clover hay, and equal parts of corn and 

 oats, a total of 82,795 B.t.u. was supplied for each hour of work. 

 This corresponds to a thermal efficiency of 3.07 per cent., on 

 the basis of an average of .8 h.p. for the year. Langworthy, 

 Rose, Chase, and others place the working power of the average 

 horse at f h.p. during the time at work, which would reduce the 

 efficiency to about 2 per cent, in pulling. For stationary work 

 through a tread mill, or circular sweep, it would be at least 

 one tenth less, due to the loss of efficiency in transmission. 

 If the many hours of light work and the heat units provided 

 in straw and pastured grass were also taken into consideration, 

 it might safely be said that under the given conditions the 

 average farm horse returns in work only from 1 to lj per 

 cent, of the energy supplied in foodstuffs. 



Contrary to popular opinion, the horse is even less efficient 

 under conditions of diversified farming. On a group of 

 smaller farms studied in the same manner, at Northfield, in 

 southwestern Minnesota, more diversification of crops and 

 live stock is found. Yet at Northfield each hour of work 

 required 7.46 Ibs. of hay and 5.5 Ibs. of grain. From 

 various sources it has been determined that the horse requires 

 at least 2 Ibs. of water at rest, and at least 3j Ibs. at work, for 

 each Ib. of dry matter, or from 70 to 100 Ibs. per day, 

 according to the weight of the animal, the ration, and the 

 amount of work. 



The great tax put upon the farmer by the necessity for 

 maintaining horses throughout the winter months is shown by 

 the fact that at Halstad, in addition to its care, the average 

 horse received 9.8 Ibs. of hay, 9.2 Ibs. of grain, and an unre- 

 corded amount of straw for each hour of work from Novem- 

 ber to March inclusive. Roughly, this would furnish 155,000 



