4 BULLETIN 929, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



DETAILS OF EXPERIMENT. 



The quantity of cottonseed meal fed was increased from a quarter 

 to half a pound at the end of the first week. The horses ate their 

 rations satisfactorily, but did not seem to have a keen appetite for 

 the cottonseed meal. Owing to their apparent dislike for the cot- 

 tonseed meal, the rations remained unchanged until November 12, 

 -when the quantity of cottonseed meal was increased to three-quarters 

 of a pound a day. This quantity was continued until December 8 

 with satisfactory results. 



On December 9 the quantity of cottonseed meal used was increased 

 to 1 pound a day, and that quantity was fed until January 20, when 

 it was increased to 1^ pounds. With this increase the animals were 

 each receiving one-half pound of the meal in the morning and eve- 

 ning and one-quarter pound at the noon feed. 



On February 10 the quantity of cottonseed meal was further 

 increased to 1^ pounds each per day and on February 17 to If pounds 

 each per day. The quantity of cottonseed meal remained at this 

 point until March 10, when it was again increased to 2 pounds a 

 day each and the wheat bran was taken out of the ration. Until 

 that time the animals had not shown any great dislike for the cotton- 

 seed meal. 



On March 24 and thereafter the horse Gladstone continually 

 refused the meal, so the amount fed to him was gra dually reduced. 



On April 7 the mare Nell refused to eat part of the morning and 

 noon feeds. She continued to do this until April 22, when she 

 refused her grain ration altogether and had slight colic attacks for 

 two days. The meal was then taken out of her ration for the remain- 

 der of the month. 



From April 15 to 27 the mares Maude, Stanley, June, and Brown 

 Bess showed some dislike for the meal and left small portions of it 

 at times during that period, and their droppings were of a hard and 

 dry nature. During the last three days of the month these mares 

 regained their normal appetites and consumed their feed as earlier 

 in the experiment. 



Pet, Bertina, and Castanette consumed their rations better than 

 the other mares, always having a good appetite and seeming to relish 

 the meal, a manifestation not shown by the others. These three 

 mares, with Brown Bess, thrived very well on the cottonseed meal, 

 all eating 2 pounds a day each during May. On May 27 the first 

 three animals were given an increase of one-quarter pound a day, so 

 that they were receiving 2] pounds of meal a day, divided into three 

 equal feeds. The mares ate this quantity of meal very well and did 

 not show any ill effects from its consumption. 



On May 19 and thereafter the draft mares were turned out on 

 Sundays and did not receive any grain or cottonseed meal on those 



