Agriculture.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 66, 27 November 1880, Page 2 (Supplement)

Agriculture.

THE MANAGEMENT OE HOESES.

(From Weefa' Rudimentary Series,) The food of the farm-hone is usually hay, straw, oats, beano, bran, barley-meal, and Indian oorn. Whatever be the kind of food employed, let^it be of the best quality. Cheap food is no gain in the long ran. And | in the second place, do not let the animals fast for long periods'. The stomaoh of the horse is small, and the animal shows, by its organisation, that food should be supplied frequently to it ; fasts of as long a duration as six or eight houra are exceedingly prejudicial to the health of the animal. The watering of horses is of very considerable importance; a little only should be given \o them when they oome from work, tired and over-heated ; but as soon as they are partially rested and cooled, they should be allowed an ample supply. Changes of food will be valuable ; but it is important td remember, that all changes should be made gradually, more especially the change from the diy winter food to the BQeoulenk grasses of the pasture-field of spring. The organisation of the digestive apparatus of the horse is essentially different from the oow or the sheep : these are ruminating animals, and have, as we already described, in the first two divisions of the present volume, four stomaohs. The horse has only one, and that ft comparatively small one, its capacity being little more than three gallons. From this will be seen that the horse is fitted to receive only small quantities of food into the stomaoh at a time, and, as a consequence of this, that it should beefed frequently. The ventilation of the stables is a matter of the utmost., importance ; too much air oan .scarcely be supplied to the animals, care . only being taken that it does not directly come in contact with them. The following remarks from a periodical will be useful in connection with i&is point: — "Until within the last quarter of a century it was considered absolutely necessary by farmers to have the stable as completely Bhut up and warm as possible, neither access nor egress being allowed for air, the bottom of the door even had to be packed with Btraw; and what with narrow stables, contracted stalls, and low ceilings filled with hay ■ or straw, a horee had barely a chance to live instead of thrive. It ia observable that old stables of tarm-steadings generally are only about 16 feet wide, with stalls from 5 to 5$ feet wide; and .the ceiling in many caseß not more than 8 feet high, as a hayloft above was reckoned indiepensible for comfort to the horse and readiness for supply. The apace, therefore, allotted to each animal did not exceed 700 cubic feet; and if 600 feet be the smallest quantity requisite to keep a man healthy, how is it possible a horse, which breathes double that quantity, could- remain in health with only 700 feet of space allotted to him? it could only be owing to his superior strength. However, it is giatifying to know that scientific and praotical men are now exposing this fatal mistake, and that horses are beginning to get a purer atmosphere to breathe when resting and feeding, though many farmers are cUll of opinion that it is dangerous having holes in a stable for giving horses oold. ," Having some experience in the erection of .farm stableß, it may not be unworthy of notice to state the simple mode used for ventilating. " The stable is either 19 or 20 feet wide, according to the fiize of borees need on the farm; walls 10 feet high ; bo loft allowed, but open to the ridge ; stalls never lesß than 6 feet wide, so that each horse has 1600 cubic feet of air at least, and when the stable is 20 feet wide, 1680. One window is allowed for every three horses, the under third of window being fitted with luffer-boards; horizontal ventilators, 2 feet by 2 inches, slanting upwards towards the issidg, mb iowned in inft bft,ck wglL every 12 feet, about Bf eet from the ground, and placed opposite each alternative travise, thus dividing the opening, and giving each horse 12 inches. Zinc ventilators, 9 inches square, are placed in the ridge every 12 feet, and exactly between the ventilators in the wall, so causing the current of air to take an oblique direction, and tb.ua make a circulation through the entire upper part of the stable where tue respired air rises to. It will be observed that, by this mode, a thorough and Bimple system of ventilation is effected ; the air passing through the luffer-boardß carries off the effluvia from behind the horses, without allowing it to commix with the pure air, which comes in by the horizontal openings, and these openings being placed near the horses' heads, supply a continued stream of fresh air from -without, at the came time conducting the breathed air through the zino ventilators. The stables ventilated in this manner have given entire satisfaction, and lessened disease amongst the horses to a very great extent." ' ; The modes adopted in the management of horsea are, as may be supposed, very numerous, almost every district having its own peculiarities; ppace, therefore, precludes us- from giving even a resume of tboße moßt generally in übo. We, however, give here as useful a few extracts from our leading periodicals, detailing what we may consider the most advanced practice in this important department .of farm labour. The following ,is from, the Journal of AgrioaLbwe:-—'. . " Farm-hoTaeß are generally fed on the ordinary produce of the f asm. In winter they receive early in the morning a feed. of the light oats, in the forenoon asimilar feed; abput five o'clock, when they return from work, a small feed of turnips, light barley, and' chaff, or corn-dust boiled together, and at eight o'clock a larger feed' of the same' mixture, with as much oat-straw throughout the day as they can. consume. Borne farmers allow their horaeß to &efc aa many raw Swedish turnips as they choose, besides the above* feeds ; while others save the oats by giving a liberal allowance of potatoes as a substitute. Within the last two or three years Indian corn has been used very extensively in place of oats on those farm's where oats are not so much .grown, and has been found to answer well the' use of it has also been extended to sonje hunting?stablea with good effect... In summer, horaeß , that axe on . full work generally receive tie .same quantity of, oats asm winter, with cut grass Instead of, the feed jp.f boiled roots and grain, and the straw,.', We are happy ,Jbo say, that every year jhe practice of turning, out, horses that are on hard work to the, field, to. gather what food they can there, has become mote rare. ' The practice 1b not only cruel to ,the horses, ,but. is, attended with a great, waste of food and manure. There are many other substances, than those .mentioned above, which are used for the feeding of horses,, such jaa bran, beans, oil-cake, barley-dust,' Ac ;it is . seldom .that farm- ' horses receive bay, excepting, during spring. . - " Sere, again, is the -method ok feeding practised 'by '.Mr. i John . Croall, , of Edinburgh, one of the largest coach-horse 'proprietors in Britain. • ■ His' horses in Middlefield stables, Edinburgh, are fed as follows :-— :'-'.. .'a-: ' c 41b. of out' wheat,' or oat-straw, or chaff ; ; •'ilb. of crushed oil-cake, '. : ■ llb/of barley, 1 ''> ', ' ' r ' 1 IIW of beans, ~\ '. ' "\ . 2oz. of linseed, . ' . ;,*os.; ,*o$. pf-flalt,'/ '"■ ' ' J ■ for one 1 feed • for a noise.' The mixture ' ie made up in this way :— The cut straw or chaff 'is 'spread out' in a large wooden trough to the depth of 6 inohes ; the other ingredients are boiled into a liquid, and poured over the chaff; '• fresh layer , of chaff is spread over it, and- then another dose of lli« Jnixture gram, and so on,

layer upon layer, till the trough ia filled, when the whole ia thoroughly mixed together, and allowed to cool. Besides the above, each horse iB allowed a bunch of wheat straw in their racks, and 121bB. of bruised oats mixed with peas, barley, wheat, or beans, with a sprinkling ot salt, and no hay. Carrots are also a favourite article of diet with horseß. We have heard of a farmer feeding his horseß on 5£ atones of carrots and 2* stonea of hay made into chaff, during the winter months. As the days became longer, some oats were added to the carrots and hay. When the carrots failed, 161bs. of .oats did not keep them in as good condition as the 5% stones of carrots."

"By estimating each, description of food at its marketable value, the average coßt of per horse per week mil be found about Bs. 9d. The duality of food is varied according to the nature ■ and strength of work to be performed by the several teamß ; for instance, upon large arable farmß in Lancashire, two distinct teamß are kept, viz., breeding mares for farm-work, and powerful horses for team-work. The plan of giving roots as the spring advances is strongly recommended as highly conducive toliealih.. The syatem of preparing food for cart-horses (especially inferior food) ia highly approved in the north of England." Although the practice of giving cooked food and chaff to horseß has much extended of late years, Btill some believe that this food has theeffeotof causing "thick and broken wind" in the animals. An able writer in the North British. Agriculturist, in pointing out that mischief arißes not bo much from the use, as the abuse of food, has some remarks so pregnant with instruction on the subject generally, that we reproduce them here :— ! " It depends not upon the cooking or the warmth of the mese, but on its being given in an unduly luge quantity. Usually made palatable and savoury, and being betides of; a soft consistence, it it greedily and rapidly eaten, and the Mouse thus readily overloads h'lM skommch. Bach habitual overloading oi the small stomach of the horse gradually induces, as is well known, thick and broken wind. Disorders of the digestive organs thus implicate the lungs, owing, it is believed, to both being abundantly supplied by the same nerves. In physiological language, it is a case of disordered reflex action. The stomach and bowls, at first deranged, transmit to the spinal chord and nervous centre* morblk impressions, which are thence diverted to the lungs, gradually disturbing, in a way not as yet explained, their delicate functions. Free respiration is interfered with ; the breathing becomes difficult and easily quickened ; an easily excited, short, and unsatisfactory Bort of cough appears, and the animal exhibits leis capacity for fast or severe exertion. The early symptoms connected with the digestive disturbance become aggravated, and the horse becomes more pot-bellied and flatulent, and more liable to indigestion. "In many of the midland and southern counties of England these chronic diseases of the air passages are extremely common amongst farm-horses, and are directly traceable to faulty feeding. The English horees, although seldom iojared from the devouring of cooked food, suiter in precisely the same way from being inordinately crammed with bulky chaff. On many English iwms the hones, which are usually worked four or five together, in a long Btretch, or team, turn out for work about seven, and remain unfed in the field until two or, occasionally, three o'clock in the afternoon. On, their return to the stable, they are diligently fed or ' baited,' as it is popularly styled, by the carter and boyß, receiving either corn-chaff and cavingi, or hay and straw mixed and out into chaff. Only a handful or two is given at a time, and mixed with it, a very minute proportion of corn. For four or five hours this tedious baiting continues, and the men only leave the stables between seven and eight o'clock, when the horses are suppered-up, usually with straw, or in more liberal establishments with hay. Before five in the morniDg the careful carter is again laboriously waiting on tie ieatt), &*>& the V>&ki»£ 1* ibp&aisA as before, until the animals turn out to work. Under this regimen the horses look as potbellied as mareß about to foal. They seldom show much condition or a pluck, stand heavy work indifferently, have frequent attacks of colic, and seldom reach six or eight years, of age, or. do much hard work without becoming hopelessly damaged in their wind. The injudiciously fanti doubtless contribute to tliia, by weakening the tone ot the digestive organs, and rendering besides the boms ravenously , hungry, and disposed to gorge themselves whenever food is presented to tham. But the quantities of dry choking , readily swallowed chaff, with which the modicum of corn -is so largely mixed, also prove very injurious. Tney unnaturally distend the small stomach; for their sufficient moistening they require a large amount of^Becretion, and,^ being hard, indigestible, arid'not very nutritive,' they are reduced and assimilated with difficulty. Hence, then, their liability to induce gsstrio derangement, which, by-and-bye, as already stated, involves the lungs alio. " The horse is' naturally a herbivorous animal. On his native] plains graiies constitute his chief food. They are leisurely torn up, carefully chewed, and freely mixed with Btliva. He m unaccawiomid to absti- \ nence, and his meals follow each other at Bhort intervals. As thu willing servant of man, his condition and management undergo serious changes. He must eat heartily of his morning repast, for five or six hours elapße until he is again fed, and in England many farm-horses go unfed for eight hour*. Such fasts become especially pregnant with evil when the food is coarse, bulky, and de&clent in nutriment. Adequately to supply the wants of the system the animal then requires to devour enormous quantities of the poor and unsuitable fare, *We have known .many a wretched underfed animal* too tired" or' too sick to eat, turn instinctively to the rack or imanger,, whenever its collar was produced, as if it realised the dire necessity qI preparing] for prolonged abstla'tiaence, "We may remark, in conclusion, that cooked food and chaff may be used for farmhorses with perfect safety, and indeed with advantage, provided they are given in moderation. From 141bs. to 201bs. of cooked food, or of pulped roots and chaff, will be an ample daily allowance. Such food ought to be given at night. rather than in the morn- . ing ; and being bulky and not very nutritive should never be need immediately before work. Along with the corn several bandittis of chaff prove a valuable /addition, for it ensures more thorough mastioation, and diminishes the chances of the corn being wasted. A farther quantity of oat food may blbo be given, and is best employed slightly damped ; bat at least one-half ot the total quantity of fodder should be used whole." The following on Btable-management, from a "Little Book lor every Man who keeps • Horse," will be useful in concluding this part of onr anbjeot : — " A horse is a olean animal ; a good groom must be a olean man ; their stable, therefore, mast be dean. Bat not only must the stable be kept olean ; the animal itself aleo must be kept clean. Soft eoap is aheap, and this frequently used in washing the heels, with the feet also kept very clean, will add much to the comfort of the animal, and will reward the owner for the little extra trouble it will oooaeion. My praetioe is to stop the feet att round every night, whether the- roads are wet or dry. My boms' feet are kept as comfortable thereby, after being pounded on the hard Macadamised, roads by dayjrasif they were, upon the cool crass all night. As an incentive to the, practice, let me add, nothing wiU Bays the toreekeepee'e pocket more than this practice, I have said all round; it serves to keep other and heating matter, oat of the bind feet. AU dry stopping should be picked and, washed olean oat of the feet every: morniag. Regularity in feeding is jftlso essential, and I never vary the number of kflOi. I feed four tinei a day, imperjej

quartern. If I want to lessen a horse's quantity, because he is doing no work, I give leBB in eaoh feed ; if I desire to increase the allowance beoause of work, or in the case of a well-bred horse still rising, in order to get extra growth forward a year longer in biß withers and crest (and I look npon this as the year which imparts beauty to the horse), I increase the. quantity in eaoh feed, as the case may be, from one quartern up to halfpeck feeds, or eight quarterns a-day ; but I never vary the number of feeds/ To drop one feed with well-bred horseß would keep them pawing and fretting, watohing every footstep and movement, and would throw them out of" condition more than the subtraotion of half their day's allowance, retaining the number of feeds. We hear muoh of • bruised oats' in the present day. I must say I prefer allowing the horse to bruise them himself, as I think it promote* digestion. If they are inclined to bolt thei^r corn, a little chaff generally corrects that. But I have scarcely ever failed in bringing hones to eat their corn leisurely; with b young horse, never. Let the racks be thoroughly cleared every morning — no hay left lying before the hone ; then »ith every fetd let a handful of prime aweet h*y be placed alongside the 1 corn, and it will be found that the horn will pick at the hay as he eats tne corn, and eat it slowly and bruise it. I wish I could impress ie upon' every horsekeeper, if only for the sake of the poor horses themsalvei, that cleanliness and regularity are the essentials for saving money in " horse-flesh." I can say I never had a sick or a lame horse in my life, and ; nevet paid & sixpence to a veterinary sturgeon ; yet it has ever bsen admitted by all who have seen them, that horses in higher condition, or better order in every reapect, were not to bt found in any stable in the land. I have had two hones shot within a few weeks, one aged, and which I had worked in a heavy carriage for the last nine years ; and the other between thirty and forty years old, and which had been in the service of my family from a. colt; yet neither, under the treatment he met, had been " giok or torrg" in hla Ylte. Shortly before I engaged in my undertaking afloat amongst the fleets, I buried a hone which I had driven in company with others upwards of 33,000 miles before I returned with him to England. From the day that I put the collar on him to the last moment, he never complained in any way, but ihowtd throughout a beautiful coat, indicating the highest possible condition. Wnen I obtained him', lour years old, he had contracted heels, bat in twelve months, with, constant stopping and careful shoeing, I succeeded in producing a good .and sound foot. Othtr horses that I drove shorter distances always maintained the Bame high health. Save a bran mash, and a little nitre and flowero of sulphur occasionally, I k«ep physic outßide the stable door from the beginning of January to the end of December In each year. For lampas in young horses I find a little common salt rubbed to the roof of the mouth sufficient, and the same given 'in milk for worms every morning, fatting. These trifling things, added to the important daily prescription of cleanliness and regularity, will prove as oil to the wheels, and keep them going without complaining."