The corn may be fed at noon to give variety. For the evening meal crushed oats, bran, and a few handfuls of cut hay, wetted and salted, will be relished. The bulk of the hay should be fed at night, and but two or three pounds of it at noon, during hot weather. Avoid dusty hay. Clover hay is apt to be moldy. It is suitable food for work horses, or idle drafters, if sound and not too liberally fed. Increase the corn in cold weather. Omit it in hot weather entirely. Alfalfa is of high feeding value, but if moldy, or fed as a well-nigh exclusive ration, is apt to affect the kidneys injuriously. It is deemed unsafe food for stallions, as it is said to induce impotence or sterility.
Horses should drink before they eat, unless they have ready access to fresh water. It is best to allow drinking water often in small quantities, even if the horse is hot. So used it will not hurt him. The horse's stomach holds three and one-half gallons. Water flows through the stomach along seventy or more feet of small intestine, into the "waterbag." Hay is not digested to any extent in the stomach. That organ cares for the concentrated food. Theoretically, a horse should drink first, then eat hay, then grain. Practically no great amount of water should be taken just after a meal as it tends to flush undigested food out of the stomach; nor should it be given soon after a meal.
All stables, pens, out houses, poultry houses and yards should be regularly disinfected every week; nothing better can be used than Pratts Dip and Disinfectant.
This preparation is entirely free from all dangerous substances, arsenic, mercury, etc., but full of medicinal qualities and properties which make it most effective without the dangerous results which are experienced with many other preparations, such as carbolic acid, etc. It kills disease germs and prevents contagious diseases from spreading.
Farm horses do not need blanketing in the stable under ordinary circumstances. A thin sheet in the stable keeps off flies and dust and is necessary. Pratts Fly Chaser is a proved and safe fly repellant. It does not gum the hair. Its efficiency is unequalled.
If a horse sweats under the blanket, uncover his rear parts. Always tuck the blanket about a horse's chest when standing on the street in inclement weather or when cooling off. Rubber loin covers, used on carriage horses in wet weather, should be perforated. In the spring, the amount of Pratts Animal Regulator given should be somewhat increased. This will put the horse into condition in much less time, and be of great assistance in helping to shed readily.
Winthrop, N.Y.
I have used Pratts Animal Regulator for the past three years and have found it very successful with both horses and hogs.
THOS. J. O'DONNELL.
