DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 57 



It is also unsafe to feed horses frozen silage on account of the danger of 

 colic. * * * 



To summarize, silage is safe to feed to horses and mules only when It is 

 made from fairly mature corn, properly stored in the silo. When it is prop- 

 erly stored and is not allowed to mold, no feed exceeds it as a cheap winter 

 ration. It is most valuable for horses and mules which are not at heavy 

 work, such as brood mares and work horses during the slack season. With 

 plenty of grain on the cornstalks, horses will keep in good condition on a 

 ration of 20 pounds of silage and 10 pounds of hay for each 1,000 pounds of 

 live weight. 



PREPARATION OF FEEDS. 



Feed is prepared for any of the following reasons: To render it 

 more easily eaten; to make it more digestible; to economize in 

 amount ; to give it some new property ; and to preserve it. We have 

 already spoken of the preparation of drying, and need not revert to 

 this again, as it only serves to preserve the different feeds. Drying 

 does, however, change some of the properties of feed, i. e., removes 

 the laxative tendency of most of them. 



The different grains are more easily eaten when ground, crushed, 

 or even boiled. Eye or wheat should never be given whole, and even 

 of corn it is found that there is less waste when ground, and, in 

 common with all other grains, it is more easily digested than when 

 fed whole. 



Hay and fodder are economized when cut in short pieces. Not 

 only will the horse eat the necessary quantity in a shorter time, but it 

 will be found that there is less waste, and the mastication of the 

 grains (whole or crushed) fed with them is insured. 



Eeference has already been made to those horses that bolt their 

 feed, and we need only remark here that the consequences of such 

 ravenous eating may be prevented if the grains are fed with cut hay, 

 straw, or fodder. Long or uncut hay should also be fed, even though 

 a certain quantity of hay or straw is cut and fed mixed with grain. 



One objection to feeding cut hay mixed with ground or crushed 

 grains, and wetted, must not be overlooked during the hot months. 

 Such feed is liable to undergo fermentation if not fed directly after 

 it is mixed ; even the mixing trough, unless frequently scalded and 

 cleaned, becomes sour and enough of its scrapings are given with the 

 feed to produce flatulent (wind) colic. A small quantity of salt 

 should always be mixed with such feed. Bad hay should never be 

 cut simply because it insures a greater consumption of it ; bad feeds 

 are dear at any price, and should never be fed. 



The advantage of boiling roots has been mentioned. Not only 

 does this render them less liable to produce digestive disorders, but it 

 also makes them clean. Boiling or steaming grains is to be recom- 

 mended when the teeth are poor, or when the digestive organs are 

 weak. 



