334 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



case of the New Hampshire experiments 

 on the cost of horse rations, it was found 

 that oats was the most expensive part 

 of the ration, and that this grain proved 

 no more satisfactory than other feeding 

 stuffs. In the experiments in question, 

 the average total cost per year for feed 

 for one horse was $47.35, and the average 

 cost for feed for each hour's work ac- 

 tually performed was 3.4 cents. 



Observations made along this line in 

 Canada, indicate that under average 

 Canadian conditions, the cost of feed 

 and the care of the horse may be esti- 

 mated at about 37 cents per day. In 

 Ohio, a set of experiments was carried 

 out in determining the cost of feeding 

 horses. The daily grain ration in this 

 case consisted of 7^2 pounds each of 

 corn and cob meal and bran; while 

 each horse received one ton of hay per 

 year and in winter an additional feed 

 of 30 pounds of silage per day. The 

 cost of feeding under these conditions 

 was $84 per horse per annum. 



Colts — If it at any time becomes nec- 

 essary to raise colts by hand, they should 



Fig. 225 COLT CREEP FOR FEEDING GRAIN 



get fresh, warm cow's milk with a table- 

 spoonful of sugar to each quart of milk. 

 It is desirable that cow's milk fed to 

 colts should not test over 4 per cent of 

 fat. Cow's milk may be given a pint or 

 less at a meal, five to ten times per day. 

 Fresh skim milk may gradually be 

 substituted for the whole milk, as with 

 calves, and the colts may be taught to 

 eat grain. By the end of two months, 

 colts should drink as readily as calves. 

 If it is desired to hasten growth as 

 rapidly as possible, one fresh egg may 

 be stirred in the milk daily, for each 

 colt. 



The addition of sugar to cow's milk is 

 not necessary on account of its composi- 

 tion, but in order to make the milk more 



palatable for the colt. After colts are 

 weaned they may be fed from 4 to 6 

 quarts of skim milk per day, until one 

 year old. The results obtained from 

 such a system of feeding are very satis- 

 factory, and in some comparative tests 

 which have been made produce horses 

 of 100 pounds more weight than would 

 otherwise have been the case. Moreover, 

 the use of skim milk is favorable to 

 the development of good bone and 

 muscle. If milk cannot be obtained for 

 colt feeding, it is necessary to give them 

 oats or some other grain twice a day. 

 Before the colt is weaned it should be 

 taught to eat a small amount of lin- 

 seed meal in addition to the oat ra- 

 tion. The purpose of feeding linseed 

 meal is to prevent constipation after 

 the colt is weaned. Equally good re- 

 sults may be obtained by the use of a 

 little flaxseed tea. 



Colts should be fed grain as soon as 

 they will eat it, and for this purpose 

 oats and bran are excellent mixed with 

 small quantities of salt. Colts should 

 not be allowed to starve during the 

 first year, for if a scanty ration is 

 fed, they may be stunted to such an ex- 

 tent that they never reach full develop- 

 ment afterwards. Colts on the range 

 should be moved from time to time, 

 since the feed may get poor in one lo- 

 cality and may be much better in an- 

 other. It is also necessary to keep a 

 close watch on the water supply and salt. 



Compounding rations — I n the discus- 

 sion of various feeds for horses, mention 

 has been made of their feeding value; 

 medicinal effect, if any, and the quan- 

 tities in which they should be fed. In 

 compounding these materials for ra- 

 tions, a great variation will be noted. 

 In the northern states, the standard ra- 

 tion with horsemen consists of oats and 

 timothy hay. In the southern states 

 the prevailing ration is corn stover, 

 corn, cottonseed meal, soy beans and 

 cowpeas, while on the Pacific coast a 

 very common ration consists of barley 

 hay, oat hay or wild oat hay, supple- 

 mented by barley or other grains. In 

 other parts of the country still other ra- 

 tions are commonly fed. 



It is perfectly evident, therefore, that 

 feeding horses is an art more than a 

 science. After a horse raiser has ac- 

 quired a certain amount of practical 

 experience in feeding one ration, that 

 ration, in his hands, gives satisfactory 

 results. The same feeding materials 



