26 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
is being worked than when he is idle. Johnstone recommends feeding 
three times a day. 
Johnstone 5 dislikes giving a mash of boiled barley every Wednesday 
and Saturday night. Likewise such practices as giving green grass to 
stallions during the breeding season, and the mixing of cut hay with the 
grain feed are objected to. But with greedy feeders he points out the 
desirability of mixing cut hay (in half or three-quarter inch lengths) 
with the grain feed to prevent the stallion from bolting. However, here 
again it is forewarned that the mixture be not made into mash, or else 
the hay will turn soft and cause the stallion to bolt the whole mass. 
According to Carlson, 6 the best grain feed for the stallion is oats. Bar¬ 
ley comes next but it should be crushed. It is advocated to add bran to 
either oats or barley if alfalfa or clover is not given as the roughage 
portion of the ration. Corn is condemned as a feed. During the breeding 
season Carlson gives an allowance of not more than three-quarters of a 
pound to every hundred pounds of the horse’s weight per day. Of the 
roughage, clover and alfalfa are ranked first, while clover mixed with 
timothy comes second. Timothy and good wild hay are rated the same. 
Clover or alfalfa, however, should be restricted to not more than one 
pound for every 100 pounds live weight per day. But no badly cured or 
musty hay should be fed. 
From Carlson’s investigations, 6 it is brought out that in the five states 
in which a survey was made regarding the feeds given to the stallions 
and percentage of foals begotten, the highest percentage of foals is shown 
in the grass-and-alfalfa fed stallions of the western states which are 
pastured on grass during the summer and fed on alfalfa during the 
winter season. The percentage is 82. The opposite extreme is found in 
corn-fed individuals with a percentage of foals as low down as 40. Where 
oats and bran are used the percentage is 61, and even where the use of 
oats alone is resorted to the percentage is also higher by 6% over that 
of corn-fed stallions. In another survey presented, it is revealed that 
in the corn states the highest percentage foal crop is represented by Ne¬ 
braska’s 49% and the lowest by Missouri’s 41%. While North Dakota 
has 56% and Canada 71% as the minimum and maximum percentages 
of foal crop of the oat district. In the grazing states, Colorado bears the 
lowest figure of 67% and Idaho 73%. 
According to Warren, 60 the stallion should be given a liberal supply of 
oats and bran, in a mixture of 2 parts oats and 1 part of bran. This 
should be fed twice a day and when in season he should get daily boiled 
barley with a little flaxseed cooked with it, which should be mixed with 
bran and fed hot at night. For roughage timothy and grass are indicat¬ 
ed, and besides a few ears of -corn may be given at times. Warren says 
in this connection: “Avoid feeding hay in the morning and giving large 
quantities of water, for by observation you will soon learn that no horse 
serves well when his belly is distended with hay and water.” 
Kennedy 61 recommends also oats and bran as the grain portion of the 
stallion’s ration during the breeding season, while for roughage, a mix¬ 
ture of timothy and clover hay is mentioned. Roots or cut grass, if 
obtainable, should be included in the ration. He gives the amount of 
grain to be fed at one and one-fourth pounds for every 100 pounds live 
weight, and a similar amount of hay. During the off-season, Kennedy 
advocates the handling of the stallion similar to that of a gelding. He 
should be given his daily job six times a week land three heavy feeds 
during the work day. Light feed is given during his rest on Sundays. 
The feed should be less than what is given during the breeding season 
so that three-quarters of a pound of oats for every 100 pounds live weight 
would be reasonable unless the stallion is performing heavy work. 
Curryer 42 gives oats, corn, bran, and a little oat meal, whether separate 
or in a mixture, as good grain ration constituents for the stallion. For 
