316 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



While, as will appear from the above 

 discussion, corn has given favorable re- 

 sults in nearly all cases where it has 

 been fed to horses, a few unfavorable re- 

 ports have been made. Thus, the Lon- 

 don omnibus company objected to feed- 

 ing corn too extensively, for the reason 

 that the percentage of disease increased 

 when the ration consisted largely of 

 corn. The horses kept fat on corn, but 

 the muscular system was apparently not 

 in as good condition and veterinarians 

 had to be consulted more frequently. 

 Some of the Berlin street car companies 

 have had similar results. These unfav- 

 orable reports, however, come from feed- 

 ing corn too exclusively. Where it is 

 properly balanced with some more ni- 

 trogenous grain, no bad results are ob- 

 served. Moreover, when it is remem- 

 bered that thousands of mature horses 

 and mules are fed corn as the only grain, 

 without bad effect, it must be ad- 

 mitted that corn is not only safe, but a 

 very efficient feed when used with the 

 precautions which have been mentioned 

 in the above discussion. 



Cottonseed meal — This grain is not 

 fed as extensively to horses as to cat- 

 tle; nevertheless, it is universally recog- 

 nized as a valuable horse feed and is 

 added to some extent to nearly all ra- 

 tions for horses in the southern states 

 and in other localities where the price 

 is not too high. In North Carolina, But- 

 ler has recommended as a ration for a 

 horse at light work, 12 pounds corn fod- 

 der, 2 pounds cowpea hay, 5 pounds of 

 corn, and 1 pound of cottonseed meal. 

 For horses at severe work, the amount 

 of cowpea hay and corn is to be doubled, 

 while the cottonseed meal is fed in ra- 

 tions of 2 pounds. Any difficulty ex- 

 perienced in getting a horse to eat cot- 

 tonseed meal, when he is not accustomed 

 to it, may ordinarily be overcome by 

 mixing corn meal and cottonseed meal. 

 Cottonseed meal is used in these ra- 

 tions to supply the protein for repair of 

 worn out muscles and may be considered 

 as replacing cowpea hay for this pur- 

 pose. Tn the southern states, cottonseed 

 meal must be preferred to oats and bran, 

 for the reason that it is considerably 

 cheaper. As a result of some experience 

 with cottonseed meal in feeding brood- 

 mares, Craig advises against its use for 

 this purpose. In North Carolina, Emery 

 found cottonseed meal to be an excel- 

 lent feed with which to balance rations. 



A test of cottonseed meal for horses 

 in New Hampshire gave rather unfavor- 



able results. The horses were not well 

 disposed towards the cottonseed meal 

 and sometimes refused to eat grain mix- 

 tures containing it. The effect on the 

 weight of the horses, however, was very 

 satisfactory in all cases in which it was 

 eaten. Good results have also been re- 

 ported from the use of cottonseed meal 

 for horses in England, Germany and 

 elsewhere in Europe. In North Dakota, 

 it was readily eaten by horses and caused 

 no digestive disturbances or loss of appe- 

 tite. In Louisiana, it is fed in rations 

 of from 1 to 6 pounds, with an average 

 of about 3 to 4 pounds. The maximum 

 safe ration is probably 6 pounds. 



Horse chestnuts—According to Schil- 

 ler, horse chestnuts are extensively fed to 

 borses by the Turks, without any inju- 

 rious effects. In this country, they are 

 commonly considered poisonous if fed in 

 large quantities, and, as a matter of fact, 

 are rarely fed to any farm animals. 



Lupines — I n Europe, the seeds of va- 

 rious kinds of lupines are fed to horses 

 with satisfactory results after being dis- 

 embittered. Nearly all lupines contain 

 a poisonous principle which must first be 

 removed in order to make them a safe 

 feed. In the western states, lupines 

 cover large areas and are cut for hay to 

 the extent of thousands of tons. This 

 material, even when it contains ripe 

 seeds, may be safely fed to horses, but it 

 is probable that they do not get much 

 of the seed in eating the hay; at any 

 rate, no serious losses are reported in- 

 horses when feeding on lupines. 



Rye may replace one-third of the oats 

 in the grain ration. It should previously 

 be cooked or moistened. If infested with 

 ergot it may cause serious disease and 

 therefore shoidd be fed sparingly until 

 it is demonstrated that the grain is clean. 

 Rye weighs more per bushel than oats, 

 as it has 60 per cent less husks, but also 

 a smaller percentage of protein than oats. 

 It is, therefore, lower in nutritive value, 

 but when mixed with cut hay makes a 

 suitable ration for horses. In France, 

 the cab companies have always fed some 

 rye, especially when this grain was cheap. 

 Lavalard tested rye in experiments with 

 army horses. Rye was substituted for 

 oats pound for pound and the amount 

 was gradually increased until the horses 

 maintained a constant weight. Lava- 

 lard believes, as a result of his experi- 

 ments, that rye varies in composition 

 more than other grains. This is offered 

 as an explanation of the contradictory 



