SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT 569 



up to the time when it was two years of age, it 

 would seem worth while to grow out well-bred 

 young drafters properly. Thus we may obtain the 

 size and finish which experience has shown to be 

 necessary for the greatest remuneration. 



' ' The accompanying table is of interest, because it 

 gives feed consumption and gains by seasons. The 

 table shows that the largest and quickest gain for 

 the feed consumed was made during the first winter. 

 During the first winter an average of 5.674 pounds 

 of grain and 4.266 pounds of hay were required per 

 pound of gain. The second winter-feeding period 

 required an average of 9.228 pounds of grain and 

 12.99 pounds of hay, the average grain requirement 

 per pound of gain being at this time almost twice as 

 much and the hay requirement slightly over three 

 times as much as it was during the first winter. The 

 table showing the results in detail follows. 



"A study of these figures would seem to show the 

 fallacy of attempting to make good draft horses by 

 roughing weanlings through the winter, with stunted 

 yearlings as a result. Continued liberal feeding 

 through the summer and the succeeding winter made 

 big, growthy, two-year-old fillies that were much 

 nearer maturity than if they had been forced to sub- 

 sist on a ration too limited in either or both the 

 quantity and quality of the nutritients which it con- 

 tained. It is of particular advantage to have pure- 

 breds well grown at two years of age, because well- 

 grown individuals of both sexes are in good demand 

 at that age. 



"The average weight of the lot at 12 months of 

 age was 1,112 pounds; at 24 months of age, 1,548 

 pounds. The average weight of 8 head (the two 

 youngest fillies being excluded) at corresponding 

 ages was 1,128 pounds and 1,578 pounds. The 



