396 THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



however, that when working animals are called upon to 

 endure a severe strain material advantage is gained from 

 introducing into the ration a srnall quantity of some 

 nitrogenous feeding-stuff, such as beans or oil meal. 



488. Oats for working horses. — One of the opinions 

 regarding the feeding of horses, which has widely pre- 

 vailed and which is still held by many, is that oats in 

 liberal proportions are essential to the successful main- 

 tenance of road and work horses, especially the former. 

 It has been believed, as has been stated, that, this grain 

 imparts to the horse greater nervous activity or life than 

 any other feeding-stuff, and when it was announced that 

 "avenine," an alkaloid, had been extracted from oats, 

 this was quickly accepted as an (explanation of their 

 peculiar effect. We have given up the avenine and seem 

 likely to modify our views in other ways, for it is becom- 

 ing increasingly evident that other grains may be sub- 

 stituted for oats with no detriment to the horse and with 

 a material saving to his owner. Barley, brewers' grains, 

 maize, maize cake, wheat, wheat bran, wheat middlings, 

 have been extensively and safely fed in the place of 

 oats, wholly or in part, by experiment stations and in 

 practice by omnibus and horse-car companies. In this 

 way the cost of maintaining horse labor is materially 

 decreased, for usually oats are comparatively much more 

 expensive than other grains and the by-products in pro- 

 portion to their feeding value. It is often the case that 

 a farmer can afford to sell a part of the oats he raises and 

 buy other grains, and he can do this with confidence that 

 he will be able to maintain his road and working horses 

 in proper flesh, good health, and spirit on the cheaper 

 materials. A great variety of grain mixtures may be used 

 successfully in feeding horses. 



