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Show HORSE FEEDING. The Utih Experiment stitlon has Just Issued Bulletin 77, on horse feeding feed-ing The bulletin Is by Prof L. A .Merrill, agronomist. As un Introductory Introduc-tory Prof. Merrill sns Previous experiment reported by thl station have shown the value of lucerne, the principal forage crop of thl section when fed to cattle, sheet, and hogs The main part of thla bulletin bul-letin Is devote 1 to tho value of lu-cerne lu-cerne when fed to horses, though a brief tevlevv of the work previous!) done at this station In connection with the subject of hore feeding is Included There has been, ind Is, soma prejudice existing against lucerne forming a part or all of the ration of horses not onl) In the hist, where the valueof this crop Is not set fulls appreciated but also In Utih Much discussion his been running through the agrlculturil press, during the past few sears con-cernlt con-cernlt g the effect of lucerne on horses Some writers maintain thnt the plmt l.as proved to be such a strong diuretic that it Is not if to feed to horses for a very long period Other writers have maintained that the constant feeding of lucerne Is a most fruitful scource of 'heaves' In horses In Utnh few liverymen will use lucerne, lu-cerne, and on many farms lucerne Is fed to the cattle, heep nnd hogs but It I considered absolute) essential lo provide timothy for the horses Lu-cerne Lu-cerne however Is the sole forage crop on most cf the Utah farms, aa a rule It forms the sole ration of the joung Mock of the milch cow and of the horses except during those seasons when severe labor Is required of them The experiments reportel In the foi-lowing foi-lowing pas.es were undertaken for the purpose of determining if the prejudice existing In the minds of many horsemen horse-men against lucerne has an) foundi-tlon, foundi-tlon, nnd also to establish data as to th value of lucerne when used us hotse feed Much of the work Is confessed!) Incomplete In-complete as It has been Impossible In many instances to conduct the work Ii a strictly scientific manner For Instance In-stance It has not been found possible to measure the exact amount of work done or the proportion of the different foods digested, other data are locking too which If obtainable wouli have added greatly to the value of the ic-sulfs ic-sulfs Tho following topics have been under consideration during the course ot the experiment. 1 The reiitlve feeding value of lu-cerns lu-cerns and tlmoths 1 The pracllciblllts'and economy of reducing the amount of fodC r fed to horses 3. The relative value of oats and hrun and shorts for hores when fed with lucerne and timothy. 4 Lucerne alone as a maintenance ration foi horsea when at rest and at work 6 The dlttretlo effect on horaea of early cut, me Hum cut nnd Ute cut of he rlrst crop of lucerne 8 The amount of water dra e by horaes, as Influenced by tl u food In the sxperlments the hoises owned nnd u I b) the Hxpcrlmriit station have b,u used In each set of iom- irlson one I jrso ln each teim hna , jcen use. Since both horses In a team ' have lmil Hctly the same, work though the work of the teams hnn var il this Ivlslon ha eliminated the factor of work a affecting comparative compara-tive results The bulletin then glvos In careful detail de-tail the experiment as outlined, nnd the following conclusions aro drawn 1 In comjarlng lucerne und timothy tim-othy as roughage for horses the re-sul's re-sul's of r!x tests under varying con. dlt of work show that It Is not aa difficult to maintain the weights of hone when fed luterne as wlier. fed tlnothl, '. The, coji of, maintenance, was greater In every ease, except one, on timothy than on lucerne 3 The appearance of the horses in every comparison of lucerne nnd tlm-oth) tlm-oth) was In favor of the lucerne-fed horse 4 When lucerne nnd timothy were fed ad libitum much greater quantities of lucerne were consumed 6 No III results were noted on the health of horses by long continued lucerne lu-cerne feedlns 6 Attacka of colic and other dlge-tlve dlge-tlve llsordei can be prevented b) a Judicious sstem of feertlnt The amount of hny fed on most Utah farms could be reduced at least one half It may be economical to 1 educe the amount of hns-'and Increase the amount of grain fed to horses 7 It Is evident from a stud) ot the ex eriments, during four periods of which bran and shorts were used and during one when oita made up the grain ration thit bran and shorts may bo substituted for the oats, whenever thto horses are fed lucern or tlm-oth: tlm-oth: 5 Twent) pounds of lucerne per day proved sufficient to maintain the welghta of horses weighing nearly 1400 pounds when nt rest When nt heavy work 33 C3 pounds of lucerne per d ly wis barely sufficient lo milntnln the vvelchts of the same horses 9 The greater consumption of water when horses are fed lucerne results In a grent elimination by the kldne)s, but wo huve no evidence that this greater elimination Is In nny way detrimental detri-mental to the health nf horses 10 From the tables It Is cvllent that thcte Is a tendency to use nil of the protein when horses nre fed timuth), nn an appirent waste of nitrogen when horses ate fed lucerne This waste is not considered serious here ns protein pro-tein (nitrogen compounds) Is not an expensive ex-pensive part nf the diet 11 It would sejm from the experiments experi-ments conducted on the nmouiit nf w 1-ter 1-ter consumed by horses that the amcunt varies with the amount eaten though further evidence Is required to make this conclusive In the expeilments conducted the horses fed tlmoth) Ingested In-gested more water for each pound ot dry matter eaten thin the jucerno-fed horses 12 The Individuality of the animal Is a potent factor, both in food and water consumption 13 Watering both before and after feeding Is recommended 11 It does not pay to grind grain for horse feeding 15 Blanketing horses while nt work even In cold weather, proved a source of Irritation to the horses, and Is not advised 16 Cutting nnd mixing hay and grain Is not a profitable practice 17 Tlmoths has cut Into very short pieces makes the horse s mouth soro and In consequence thero result a falling off in weight Lucerne nnd colver, cut Into vers line pieces, result In a greater gain than uncut lucerne nnd clover. The bulletin, which is an Interesting and valuable one to horse feeders, may be obtained by addressing Utah Experiment Experi-ment Station Logan, Utah. |