MAl^UAL OF OATTLE-FEEDIIsra 409 



If very heavy work is to be done cuntimionslj, tlie quan- 

 tity of digestible nutrients should be still further increased, 

 the protein to as much as 2.4 lbs., and the non-nitrogenous 

 matter to 14.5 lbs. (nutritive ratio, 1 : 6), 



Fat not important. — The amount of fat in the rations 

 of working oxen scarcely comes hito consideration, since 

 these animals, although they draw heavy loads, perform their 

 work slowly, and hence have less need of concentrated res- 

 piratory materials. Moreover, they have capacious stomachs 

 in which large quantities of carbhydrates can be contained, 

 while the comparative slowness with which the latter move 

 through the digestive apparatus permits large quantities of 

 them to be digested and resorbed. 



In the ordinary feed of working oxen the fat scarcely 

 amounts to 0,3 lb. per day; in the ration for heavily 

 worked animals it may sometimes be advisable to increase 

 it somewlxat by the use of a bye-fodder which is at the 

 same time rich in fat and in protein (such as oil cake or 

 cotton-seed cake), so that the total amount of digestible 

 fat may reach, perhaps, 0.5 lb. per day. 



I 3. HOBSES. 



Fodder determined by Amount of Work. — The food 

 of the horse is in general very constant as regards its ma- 

 terials, consisting chiefly of oats and hay, with sometimes 

 tnore or less straw, but the relative quantities of these 

 ingredients and the total quantity of fodder vary moie 

 than with almost any other animal, and are almost wholly 

 determined by the amount of work performed. 



Neither the temperament nor the constitution of the 

 horse fit it to consume an abundant fodder when not per- 

 forming regular work, while, on the other hand, as the 



amount of work demanded increases, the intensity of the 

 18 



