RATION FOR HORSES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 38, 24 November 1938, Page 8

RATION FOR HORSES.

The problem was complicated because of the lamb. It was difficult and inadvisable to yard a large mob of ewes and lambs for. the purpose of treating tlie ewes. Yet it was obvious that, both for the sake of the ewe and the lamb dependent on her, something should he attempted;

JUDICIOUS FEEDING. NEED FOR OBSERVATION. 1 The daily ration for a working farm horse should be approximately lolb. chaff, 'lolb oats and 21,b bran. In the case of idle horses the oats may he withdrawn altogether and replaced with increased quantity of chaff. The art of successful rationing can only be acquired by close observation. The characteristics of each horse should be closely watched. Some are rapid feeders, while some are slow. Some are large eaters, while some eat little. All these things should be taken into consideration and measures adopted to create conditions as near normal as possible. Those, that require more food should be given it, and those which are slow eaters should be given longer time to eat it. Rapid eaters should be prevented from bolting their food bv placing a few stones in the mangers. In order to control these conditions, horses should be led separately. The horse has comparatively a small stomach, and one which is easily dCtended if overfed. For this reason they should not be allowed to go lor too long an interval between feeding. The practice to adopt alwa-yh is to give small feeds and often and one which will be completely eaten up at each meal. Undqr normal conditions feeding should be carried out at regular intervals such as 6 a.in., 12 noon, A p.m. and 10 p.m. Do not work a horse immediately after a, meal, but allow him ample time to digest a portion of it. A change of diet always requires careful attention. Colic very often supervenes when horses are brought in

from pastures and suddenly changed on to hard-working diet. For this reason the change should he made gradually, by giving small feeds to commence with. A safe procedure to adopt is to brail-mash the animals for the first couple of days immediately following their return to the stables. Do not put horses to work for at least four days after the change of diet takes place. Pure water is .just as necessary for stock as it is for man. For this reason well water supplied out of troughs or a running stream is always best. Dam water which has become polluted is dangerous as it harbours parasitic infection. Horses are particularly prone to parasitic infection.' Wherever possible dams should be fenced iu and provided with a mill and trough. Always water before feeding. This should be observed on account of the small stomach of the horse, for if watered after feeding the flush of water will remove undigested food to the more delicate portions of the intestines, where it will cause irritation of those parts and subsequent colic. When working, no harm is done in watering horses whenever possible This will prevent the sudden ingestion of a large quantity of cold water, and resulting chills and colic.