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ASRICULTURAL

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Agricultural Experiment Station

BULLETIN NO. 238

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

BY J. L. EDMONDS AND W. G. KAMMLADE

URBANA, ILLINOIS, JANUARY, 1922

Summary of Bulletin No. 238

Corn is a good grain feed for horses and mules doing farm work. In con- tradiction to the opinion sometimes expressed that corn is not good for horses and mules, these experiments have shown that sound ear corn properly fed with legume roughages is a healthful and satisfactory feed. For the roughage part of the ration, no common feeds are likely to prove more desirable than good quality legume hays. Clover and alfalfa in particular may be grown with the assurance that they may be fed both safely and economically to farm work animals. Wherever they are produced in the corn belt, they may safely be made the basic roughages for horses and mules.

Ear corn and alfalfa hay alone are sufficient to maintain farm horses and mules doing a considerable amount of medium to hard work. However, even tho this is true, our experience further leads us to believe that more satisfactory rations may be made and perhaps more economical feeding practiced when part of the alfalfa or clover roughage is replaced with timothy hay, oat hay, oat straw, prairie hay, or corn stover. The grain ration may be improved in variety and bulk by replacing about one-third of the corn with oats.

Farm-grown feeds need no special preparation to be successfully fed to either horses or mules. No condiments or commercial mixed feeds of any kind were used during these tests, which covered a period of three and one-half years; and under farm conditions there would be even less occasion to use prepared feeds or medicinal mixtures, for there would be an opportunity to use a greater variety of feeds and to make some use of pasture.

Recommendations for feeding farm work stock, based on these experiments, would be: To use home-grown feeds. To make legume hay an important part of the roughage, feeding it along with ear corn, or preferably ear corn and oats. And as a general rule to feed approximately one pound of grain and one pound of roughage per hundred pounds of live weight per day, varying the amounts as conditions indicate by increasing the amount of grain when the animals are at hard work and decreasing the grain and increasing the roughage when they are doing light work or are idle.

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

BY J. L. EDMONDS, CHIEF IN HORSE HUSBANDRY, AND W. G. KAMMLADE, ASSOCIATE IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

INTRODUCTION

More than 75 percent of the corn produced in Illinois is fed to farm animals. When corn is used in any feeding operations, it is always recommended that it be fed with feeds containing considerable protein and mineral matter in order that the ration may be properly balanced and prove suitable and adequate to the needs of the animals. Corn is superior to any other common feed for the production of work.1

The growing appreciation in the corn belt of the marked benefits to be derived from the use of legumes in crop rotations is resulting in a steady increase in the production of these crops. At the present time there is no more satisfactory means of disposing of them than as feed for the live stock on the farms on which the crops are grown.

There has been considerable opposition to the use of corn and skepticism concerning its value for farm work animals. Much of this feeling may be attributed to difficulties resulting from improper feed- ing and much to the unsuitable character of the corn which was used. Legume hays, too, have not been very generally used as feeds for horses and mules because they have been thought to cause digestive disorders and to reduce strength and endurance.

OBJECT OF EXPERIMENTS

The four experiments reported herein were undertaken in a small way with the equipment available, in order to determine the prac- ticability of using corn and legume hays as the basic feeds for farm work horses and mules. The object was to secure information of value to the farmer concerning the use of rations composed largely or en- tirely of ear corn and legume roughages for work stock, and to be able to give some definite suggestions regarding the amounts required and methods of feeding. Corn was selected as the main grain feed because it is grown so extensively in Illinois and its carbonaceous nature should make its use most satisfactory when it is fed with protein roughages.

Could these feeds form the basis of suitable and economical ra- tions for farm work animals?

NOTE. — Mr. J. J. Yoke assisted in conducting these experiments until re- signing in 1915.

*Feeds and Feeding, by Henry and Morrison, page 285.

411

412 BULLETIN No. 238 [January,

PLAN

Animals Used. — Two horse and two mule teams were used in each of the experiments. All the animals were rugged, useful workers. The horses were high-grade drafters. In the first experiment a team of ten-year-old mares and a team, of four-year-old geldings were used. In the second experiment three five-year-old geldings replaced the two mares and one of the geldings of the first experiment. In the third experiment a five-year-old gelding replaced one of the geldings used previously. There were no changes for the fourth experiment. The average weight of the horses in the first experiment was approxi- mately 1,500 pounds; in the second 1,560 pounds; and in the third and the fourth experiments about 1,640 pounds.

The same mules were used thruout the four experiments. They were a pair of mare mules and a pair of horse mules five and six years old respectively at the beginning of the first experiment. Their average weight was a little more than 1,350 pounds. On the market they would have classed as draft mules..

Method of Feeding. — The horses and mules were fed the same kinds and quality of feed; each animal received as much grain and hay, weighed separately, as it would eat readily. It seldom happened that any feed was left, but when this did occur the amount given was reduced in subsequent feedings so that there was no waste. The grain was fed in three equal amounts each day. One-half of the hay ration was divided between the morning and noon feeds, and the other half was fed at night. On Sundays and other idle days the grain was reduced at least one-third.

All the feeds used in these experiments were home-grown and of choice quality.

Water was given in the morning after feeding, before and after the noon feeding, before the evening feeding, and again at nine o'clock at night. This last drink was very refreshing to the animals, especially during warm weather.

Stabling — The animals were kept in a light, well-ventilated stable equipped with standing stalls having concrete floors. Shavings were used for bedding because they would not be eaten. Because of the lack of suitable yards and because the mules were shod thruout the year, the animals were not turned together as is commonly done. In- dividuals were allowed a few hours exercise in a small dry lot on all idle days.

Nature of Work. — All teams were used regularly in doing farm work and general teaming. The farm work consisted for the most part of the tilling of small fields ; in addition a number of acre plots were tilled. A considerably larger proportion of the work consisted of heavier hauling than is the case on most farms. Loads amounting

19&&] FEEDING FARM WORK HOUSES AND MULES 413

to three tons net weight per team were frequently drawn from town to the University stock barns, a distance of about two miles.

Records. — Records were kept of the weights of the animals, the amounts of feeds consumed, the number of hours of labor performed, and the distances traveled.

Weighings were made before watering on one morning of every week during the experiments. The mileage records of the first and second trials are for the most part close estimates computed from field measurements, tho in some cases the distances traveled were measured by means of an odometer on a two-wheeled cart. No mileage records were secured in the third experiment. In the fourth experiment small two-wheeled carts, equipped with odometers, were attached to all the implements and wagons to which the horses and mules were hitched.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS WITH HORSES THE 1912 EXPERIMENT

In the first experiment clover hay was fed with a grain ration consisting of two-thirds ear corn and one-third oats by weight. The spirit and appearance, and weights and gains of the animals during the experiment showed the clover to be a very satisfactory roughage.

It will be noted from Table 1 that the amounts of grain fed were rather high. While the feed costs could have been reduced by feed- ing a little less grain and more hay, it is probable that the gains would have been less. The good results in feeding clover hay were doubt- less largely due to the use of clover of first quality and to the limit- ing of the amount fed to about one pound per hundredweight per day. The fact that the trial was of 364 days' duration would indi- cate that the ration used might be safely and satisfactorily employed over a long period of time with farm work horses in general. The results of this experiment are similar to those of previous experiments reported by this Station, which have demonstrated clover hay to be a suitable feed for work horses.1 Ear corn and oats make a good grain ration to feed with clover hay.

It is worth while to call attention to the feeding standard for work horses as shown by the Modified Wolff-Lehmann Standards.2 According to this standard, horses weighing approximately 1,500 pounds, doing medium work, require in their ration from 24 to 36 pounds of dry matter per day ; 2.10 to 2.55 pounds of digestible crude protein ; 19.2 to 23.4 pounds of total digestible nutrients ; and the ra- tion should have a nutritive ratio of 1 :7.8 to 8.3 ; that is, for every pound of digestible crude protein there should be about eight pounds of carbohydrates and fat equivalent. (In calculating the nutritive

1 See Bulletin 150, Feeding Farm Work Horses, by E. C. Obrecht, August, 1911.

2 Feeds and Feeding, by Henry and Morrison, page 671.

414

BULLETIN No. 238

[January,

TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF FEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH FARM WORK HORSES

Showing Rations Fed and Average Weight, Feed Consumption, and Work

per Horse

1 Grain	1912	1913	1914-15	1916-17
Ear corn % Oats %	Ear corn % Oats %	Ear corn % Oats %	Ear corn
Ration ^ Roughage
Clover hay	Clover % Timothy ^	Alfalfa or Alfalfa Y2 Timothy ^	Alfalfa hay
Length of trial, days	364 1445 1585 +140 1497 4400 2200 6600 18.13 1.21 5251 14.43 .96 2503 8.02 28 2782 1.11	140 1578 1566 —12 1564 1503 752 2255 16.11 1.03 2044 14.60 .93 990 8.25 17 1259 1.27	364 1621 1626 +6 1639 4376 2188 6564 18.03 1.10 6164 16.93 1.03 2517 8.07 33 0) 0)	364 1636 1666 +30 1639 5470
Weight: Av.weight at beginning, Ibs. Av. weight at close
Gain or loss
Av. weight during trial
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs
Total oats eaten .
Total grain eaten	5470 15.77 .96 6823 18.75 1.14 2517 8.07 29.5 2960 1.18
Av. grain per day
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, /6s
Av. hay per day
Av. hay per cwt. per day . . . Hours of labor: Total hours of labor
Av. hours per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled
Av. miles per hour

NOTE: — Records of each individual may be found in the tables in the Appen- dix, pages 424-427.

'No records were obtained during the 1914-15 experiment.

ratio, the fat is multiplied by 214 in order to give its energy value in terms of carbohydrates.)

"While no attempt was made to feed these horses according to this standard, the ration fed did correspond quite closely with these re- quirements. It supplied approximately 26.70 pounds of dry matter ; 2.41 pounds of digestible crude protein; and 19.88 pounds of total digestible nutrients ; and had a nutritive ratio of 1 C7.25.1 The re- sults secured with this ration would seem to indicate that the Modified Wolff -Lehmann Standard is a reliable guide for feeding work horses.

The labor record of 8.02 hours per horse per work day may be considered very good, for the hours of labor usually given as the

^Computed from the nutrient composition of feeds as given by the above authorities, pages 653-666 of Feeds and Feeding.

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES 415

average for farm horses is about 3.5 per work day. (The number of work days is calculated by deducting Sundays ; hence, there are 312 in a year.)

The mileage record is only approximately correct, as the distances were frequently closely estimated rather than accurately measured. It is a very close estimate, however, and shows what may be accom- plished with farm work horses if they are used to the best advantage in a system of diversified farming.

THE 1913 EXPERIMENT

The 1913 experiment, also reported in Table 1, included a period of but 140 days and on this account the data cannot have the same value as those for the other three tests, which covered 364 days each. This experiment does, however, include the period of rush work on the farm — April 27 to September 14.

The ration fed — two-thirds ear corn, one-third oats, by weight, and mixed hay (clover y2 and timothy y2 ) — was satisfactory so far as the character of the feeds was concerned, and doubtless there is some advantage in using a variety of feeds. The amounts fed, how- ever, were not sufficient to maintain the average initial weight of the horses, as is shown by the loss in weight at the end of the experiment and by the average weight during the experiment, which was less than either the initial or the final weight.

The nutrients supplied in this ration are about the minimum or a little less than the minimum requirements given by the Modified Wolff-Lehmann Standard for a 1,600-pound horse doing medium work. These horses were doing hard work, so that it is not surprising that the ration was not sufficient to maintain their weights. If the same feeds were used, but in larger amounts than in this trial, there would seem to be no reason why the ration should not be found entirely satisfactory for farm work horses for use over a long period.

The horses worked an average of 8.25 hours per work day. Both the labor record and the number of miles traveled were considerably reduced in this test by the record of one horse. Three of the horses worked an average of almost 8.75 hours per work day and traveled more than 1,300 miles each. The fourth horse was susceptible to frequent attacks of colic and averaged about two hours less work per work day and traveled 300 miles less than the other three. This fact, of course, resulted in a reduction in the average labor and mile- age records, which even with this reduction are exceptionally good.

THE 1914-15 EXPERIMENT

The grain feeds in the 1914-15 experiment were the same and were fed in the same proportions as in the two previous experiments. One horse in each team was fed alfalfa hay, and the other horse, alfalfa

416 BULLETIN No. 238 [January,

1/2 and timothy y2. However, there was so little variation in the amounts of grain and hay consumed and the number of animals was so small that it is impossible to make a definite comparison of the two hay rations.

The alfalfa hay proved a palatable and healthful feed, causing no functional disturbances, digestive or otherwise. It was well cured and sound but was rather brown and stemmy. The fact that equal amounts of alfalfa and timothy in the ration proved so successful would indicate that if alfalfa is high in price it might be advisable to replace part of it with timothy. It might also be profitable to substitute other carbonaceous roughages, such as corn stover or oat straw, for the timothy in this ration and secure good results and a reduction in costs.

While the alfalfa, ear corn, and oats made a good ration, the re- quirements of these horses — whose weights averaged about 1,640 pounds and who were doing medium work — were, in some particulars, more closely met by the alfalfa, timothy, ear corn, and oats ration. The following tabulation shows the Modified Wolff -Lehmann Stand- ard for 1,640-pound horses at medium work and the nutrients sup- plied per day by the rations used in this experiment.

Dry matter Digestible Total digest- Nutritive Ibs. crude protein ible nutrients ratio

Ibs. Ibs.

Kequired by Modified

Wolff -Lehmann Standard... 26.24-39.36 2.29-2.79 20.99-25.58 1:7.8-8.3 Supplied by the ration of — Alfalfa, ear corn, and oats

(average for 2 horses) 29.58 3.10 21.22 1:6.0

Alfalfa, timothy, ear corn and oats (average for 2 horses) 29.19 2.45 20.S9 1 : 7.6

These figures show that the timothy reduced the supply of pro- tein to a little nearer the average requirements and thus gave a wider nutritive ratio. Under farm conditions it is probably best to feed alfalfa as one-half to two-thirds of the roughage ration rather than as the sole roughage. An over supply of protein may not be injurious, lut as protein is frequently the most expensive nutrient in the ration it is of advantage, in preventing excessive cost of feed, to keep the supply of protein down to the requirement.

The average gain in weight (6 pounds) was entirely due to a gain of 75 pounds by one horse. Two of the horses lost 25 pounds each and the fourth neither gained nor lost.

The labor record of 8.07 hours per horse per work day was a little better than the record in 1912 of 8.02 hours. No mileage data were obtained in this trial.

1922] FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES 417

THE 1916-17 EXPERIMENT

The 1916-17 experiment is probably the most important of this series of tests, particularly because of the fact that thruout an entire year only two feeds were used in maintaining the work horses, and furthermore because of the fact that these two feeds are rather com- monly considered, at least in some sections, as poor feeds for horses. For 364 days the horses in this test were given only ear corn and alfalfa hay, and during most of this time they worked at farm work and general teaming that would class as medium to hard work. The data are presented in Table 1.

As the figures show a good weight for the horses during the ex- periment and an average gain of 30 pounds over their initial weight, the ration must be considered a success from the standpoint of being sufficient to maintain weight. Observations of the health, condition, thrift, and spirit of the animals also showed the ration to be success- ful. The chief criticism would be that the lack of variety in the ra- tion caused some decrease in appetite, and hence the horses were lacking in an extremely sleek appearance, particularly just before the close of the test. It should be mentioned in this connection that the summer of 1916, during which this experiment was conducted, was so hot and dry as to be a severe test for any system of feeding.

The average consumption of ear corn per hundredweight per day v/as a little under one pound, and the daily consumption of alfalfa hay was only 1.14 pounds per hundredweight. The use of alfalfa hay evidently reduced the grain requirement. The alfalfa used in this test had been in the barn a year, was well cured, sound, and was not so leafy as choice pea-green hay. The advantage of using a nutritious roughage is apparent when feed costs are considered, par- ticularly if grains are high in price.

This ration supplied approximately 28.43 pounds of dry matter, 2.93 pounds of digestible crude protein, and 20.50 pounds of total digestible nutrients. The amount of total digestible nutrients corre- sponds closely to the Modified Wolff-Lehmann Standard. However, the amount of protein supplied was somewhat in excess of the require- ment, and for this reason the nutritive ratio was narrower than it needed to be.

While these two feeds contained an abundance of nutrients and were successfully used in this experiment, they would not be consid- ered the most desirable combination for feeding farm work horses for a whole year or longer where conditions made it possible to use a greater variety of feeding stuffs and possibly make some use of pasture at night and on idle days during the summer. Under farm conditions some oats might be fed with the corn, and some carbona- ceous roughage, such as timothy, prairie hay, oat hay, oat straw, or

418

BULLETIN No. 238

[January,

FIG. 1. — FOUR OF THE HORSES USED IN THE EXPERIMENTS

The condition, appearance, spirit, and weights of these horses would seem to demonstrate that ear corn and good legume hays are very satisfactory basic feeds for farm work horses. The pictures show the horses near the close of the last experiment. Nos. 91, 87, and 90 were used in the last three experiments; No. 95 in the last two only.

corn stover, might well form at least one-third of the roughage. These substitutions would usually result in a reduction of feed costs and the ration would undoubtedly be improved thru the use of a variety of feeds. However, ear corn and alfalfa hay may be used to a rather large extent in making up rations for work horses. They are highly desirable feeds, both because of their nutritive value and because of their suitability for the best corn-belt cropping practices.

The labor record of 8.07 hours per horse per work day is very good and would have been better had it not been for a shortage of teamsters during part of October and November, which reduced the use of the horses. The record of the distances traveled is accurate in this experiment, the measurements having been made by means of odometers on small carts attached to all the implements to which the horses were worked.

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FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

419

COST OP FEED

The cost of feed is usually estimated as amounting to about 75 percent of the entire cost of the keep of horses, and it is one of the places where the man who owns horses may well attempt to reduce his operating expense. As a help in this direction Table 2 is pre- sented showing the average total and daily cost of feed as based on four different sets of feed prices for each of the four different rations used.

In this table total feed consumption will be found expressed in bushels and tons also, so that anyone can easily figure for himself the cost at prices prevailing in his community and thus arrive at figures of more value to him.

The 1913 experiment shows the lowest feed cost per day, but it should be remembered that the horses in this experiment were not fed sufficient amounts to prevent losses in weight.

TABLE 2. — AVERAGE TOTAL AND DAILY COST OF FEED FOR FARM WORK HORSES BASED ON VARIOUS PRICES

(For feed prices see bottom of page)

1912: 364 days Ear corn	62.86bu.	A $35.20	B $40.86	C $31.43	D $62 . 86
Oats	68.75bu.	27.50	27.50	22.00	41.25
Clover	2.63 tons	31.56	36.82	26.30	42.08
Total cost		$94.26	$105.18	$79.73	$146.19
Cost per day		.258	.289	.219	.402
1913: 140 days Ear corn	21.47bu.	A $12.03	B $13.96	C $10.74	D $21.47
Oats	23 . 50 bu.	9.40	9.40	7.52	14.10
Clover	.51 ton	6.13	7.14	5.10	8.16
Timothy	.51 ton	8.16	7.14	5.10	8.16
Total cost		$35 . 72	$37.64	$28.46	$51 89
Cost per day		.255	.269	.203	.371
1914-15: 364 days Ear corn	62.51 bu.	A $35.01	B $40.63	C $31.26	D $62 51
Oats	68.37 bu.	27.36	27.36	21.88	41.02
Alfalfa and timothy. .	3 . 08 tons	49.28	43.12	36.96	49.28
Total cost		$111.65	$111.11	$90 10	$152 81
Cost per day		.306	305	.248	.420
1916-17: 364 days Ear corn	82.00bu.	A $45 . 92	B $53 . 30	C $41.00	D $82 00
Alfalfa	3.41 tons	54.56	47.74	40.92	54.56
Total cost		$100.48	$101.04	$81 . 92	$136 56
Cost per day		276	.277	225	375

Feed Prices: A B C D

Corn, per bushel $ .56 $ .65 $ .50 $1.00

Oats, per bushel 40 .40 .32 .60

Clover, per ton _ 12.00 14.00 10.00 16.00

Timothy, per ton 16.00 14.00 lO.OOi 16.00

Alfalfa, per ton _ -. 16.00 14.00 12.00 16.00

iln the 1914-15 trial the timothy and alfalfa were figured at the same price per ton.

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BULLETIN No. 238

[January,

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS WITH MULES

The results of the experiments with mules will not be discussed separately in as much detail as the experiments with the horses since the same rations were used as for the horses and the remarks concern- ing the horses will apply here also. The recommendations for im- proving the rations for horses might also be made for improving the rations for mules.

The Modified Wolff -Lehmann Standards contain no table of re- quirements for mules. For the following tabulation the mule's re- quirements are assumed to be the same as the requirements for horses of the same weight. This may or may not be correct; at best it is an assumption and is not based on definite established knowledge. It is used, however, because there is apparently no other standard adapted for the purpose. (The amounts given are based on the average daily ration.)

Digestible , ' Total

Dry matter

Ibs. Requirements for 1,360-lb.

horse at medium work 21.76-32.64

Supplied by a ration of —

Ear corn, oats; clover (1912).. 22.84 Ear corn, oats ; clover */> and

timothy V2 (1913) 19.56

Ear corn, oats ; alfalfa (1914-

15) (average for 2 mules) . . 22.71 Ear corn, oats ; alfalfa ^ and timothy % (1914-15) (aver- age for 2 mules) 22.75

Ear corn; alfalfa (1916-17) .. 23.22

crude

protein

Ibs.

digestible

nutrients

Ibs.

17.41-2.

2.05

1.48 2.40

1.90 2.43

16'.69

14.08 16.12

16.11 16.35

Nutritive ratio

1:7.1 1:8.5

1:5.7

7.5

5.73

The 1912 ration of ear corn, oats, and clover hay, and the 1914-15 ration of ear corn, oats, alfalfa y2 and timothy y2 more nearly sup- plied the requirements of the mules, according to this tabulation, than did any of the other rations. This was also the observation made during the progress of these experiments. The figures show, too, that the nutrients supplied in 1913 were about in the proper proportion but wrere insufficient in amount even for mules doing medium work, and the work which these mules did during the test would be classed as hard work. The insufficiency of the ration, so far as amount sup- plied is concerned, is further shown in Table 3 by the loss of weight by the mules. Only in this one particular was this ration at all un- satisfactory. The feeds used in this trial, so far as their character is concerned, are suitable for mules at medium or hard work.

The ear corn and alfalfa used in the 1916-17 experiment were ample to maintain the weights of the animals and to supply energy

19SS]

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

421

FIG. 2. — THE FOUR MULES USED IN THE EXPERIMENTS

These mules were used in all experiments reported in this bulletin. Rations composed largely of ear corn and legume hays kept them in good condition while doing medium to hard work. The pictures were taken near the close of the last experiment.

for them to do considerable work. The supply of protein was larger than necessary and the nutritive ratio was too narrow. This could have been remedied by the use of some roughage that contained less protein, such as timothy hay or oat straw, in place of about one-third or one-half of the alfalfa.

In general, those rations which most closely approached the. re- quirements of the above standard were more satisfactory than those which showed rather marked deviations, except in the case of the 1913 experiment, which has already been explained.

In all four experiments with mules the labor record is very satis- factory. The average amount of labor per mule per work day was 8.06 hours for the first experiment ; 8.69 hours for the second ; 8.43 hours for the third ; and 8.25 hours for the fourth. In all the trials the mules worked an average of more than 90 percent of the total number of work days.

422

BULLETIN No. 238

[January,

TABLE 3. — SUMMARY OP FEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH MULES Showing Rations Fed, Average Weight, Feed Consumption, and Work per Mule

	1912	1913	1914-15	1916-17
rGrain	Ear corn %	Ear corn %	Ear corn %
Ration -i	Oats ^	Oats %	Oats %	Ear corn
1 Roughage		Plnvpr 1/n	Alfalfa or A If o Ifo \/(.
		Timothy ^	Timothy }/?
Length of trial, days	364	140	364	361
Weight: Av. weight at beginning, Ibs. Av weight at close	1337 1428	1401 1374	1349 1315	1290 1343
Gain or loss	+91	—27	—33	+54
Av. weight during trial	1358	1370	1348	1356
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Total oats eaten	3437 1718	1120 560	3202 1601	4187
Total grain eaten	5155	1680	4803	4187
Av grain per day	14.16	12.00	13 20	11.50
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, Ibs	1.04 4930	.88 1628	.98 4971	.85 5971
Av hay per day	13.54	11.62	13 66	16 40
Av. hay per cwt. per day . . . Hours of labor: Total hours of labor. . . .	1.00 2515	.85 1043	1.01 2628	1.22 2575
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	8.06 23 2863	8.69 9.5 1451	8.43 21 (»)	8.25 27.5 3000
Av. miles per hour	1.14	1.39	0)	1.17

NOTE. — Records of each individual may be found in the tables in the Appen- dix, pages 424-427.

JNo records were obtained during the 1914-15 experiment.

FEEDING FARM WORK HOESES AND MULES

423

COST OF FEED

Table 4 shows the cost of the feed f or the mules for all the experi- ments. It is constructed in the same way as the table of feed cost given for the horses.

Here, too, the lowest cost per day is for the 1913 trial, during which time the ration fed was not sufficient to maintain the weights of the mules. The cost in this experiment would of course be larger if the feed had been sufficient in quantity to maintain the weights of the animals.

TABLE 4. — AVERAGE TOTAL AND DAILY COST OP FEED FOR MULES, BASED ON

VARIOUS PRICES

(For feed prices see bottom of page)

1912: 364 days Ear corn	49.10bu. 53.71 bu. 2.47 tons	A $27.50 21.48 29.64	B $31.92 21.48 34.58	C $24.55 17.18 24.70	D $49 . 10 32.23 39.52
Oats ...
Clover
Total cost	$78.62 .216	$87.98 .242	$66.43 .183	$120.85 332
Cost per day
1913: 140 days Ear corn	16.00bu. 17.50bu. .41 ton .41 ton	A $ 8.96 7.00 4.88 6.51	B $10.40 7.00 5.74 5.74	C $ 8.00 5.60 4.10 4.10	D $16.00 10.50 6.56 6.56
Oats
Clover
Timothy
Total cost	$27.35 .195	$28.88 .206	$21.80 .155	$39.62 .283
Cost per day
1914-15: 364 days Ear corn	45.74bu. 50.03bu. 2. 49 tons	A $25.62 20.01 39.84	B $29.73 20.01 34.86	C $22.87 16.01 29.88	D $45.74 30.02 39.84
Oats
Alfalfa and timothy. . Total cost
$85.47 235	$84.60 .232	$68.76 .189	$115.60 .318
Cost per day
1916-17: 364 days Ear corn	59.81 bu. 2.99 tons	A $33.49 47.84	B $38.88 41.86	C $29.91 35.88	D $59.81 47.84
Alfalfa
Total cost	$81.33 223	$80.74 222	$65.79 .181	$107.65 295
Cost per day
Feed Prices: A Corn, per bushel . $ .5(	BCD $ $ .65 $ .50 $ 1.00 ) .40 .32 .60 0 14.00 10.00 16.00 ) 14.00 lO.OOi 16.00 3 14.00 12. 00 16.00
Oats, per bushel .4
Clover, per ton 12.0
Timothy, per ton 16.CM
Alfalfa, ner ton..... 16.0

iln the 1914-15 trial the timothy and alfalfa were figured at the same price per ton.

APPENDIX

A summary of the record for each individual in these experiments is contained in the following pages.

424

BULLETIN No. 238

[January,

TABLE A. — SUMMARY OF 1912 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH HORSES: 364 DAYS Ration: ~2^ Ear Corn, % Oats; Clover

Horses. • .	No. 51	No. 52	No. 85	No. 86
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1440 1585	1460 1550	1375 1560	1505 1645
Gain	145	90	185	140
- Av. weight during trial	1497	1508	1438	1547
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, /6s Total oats eaten	4192 2096	4260 2130	4276 2138	4873 2436
Total grain eaten	6288	6390	6414	7310
Av. grain per day	17 27	17 55	17 64	20 08
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, Ibs. Av. hay per day	1.15 5096 14 00	1.16 5075 13 94	1.23 4998 13.73	1.30 5835 16 00
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor	.93 2474	.92 2584	.95 2401	1.03 2552
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	7.92 35 2787	8.28 17 2867	7.69 41 2646	8.17 18 2828
Av. miles per hour	1.13	1.11	1.10	1.11

TABLE B. — SUMMARY OF 1913 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH HORSES: Ration: % Ear Corn, X Oats; 1A Clover, 1A Timothy

140 DAYS

Horses	No 86	No 91	No 87	No 90
Weight: Weight at beginning, /6s Weight at end	1600 1560	1470 1500	1630 1570	1610 1635
Gain or loss	-40	+30	-60	+25
Av. weight during trial . ...	1575	1492	1585	1608
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Z6s Total oats eaten	1320 659	1497 749	1600 800	1596 798
Total grain eaten .	1979	2246	2400	2394
Av. grain per day	14.14	16.04	17.14	17.10
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, /6s. . .	.90 2073	1.08 1962	1.08 2000	1.06 2142
Av. hay per day	14.81	14.01	14.29	15.30
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor ...	.94 1037	.94 812	.90 1062	.95 1048
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	8.64 11 1362	6.77 37 1023	8.85 9 1321	8.73 10 1328
Av. miles ner hour	1.31	1.26	1.24	1.26

198S]

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

425

TABLE C. — SUMMARY OF 1914-15 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH HORSES: 364 DAYS Ration: % Ear Corn, % Oats; Alfalfa, «r ^ Timothy and % Alfalfa

Horses	No. 95	No. 91	No. 87	No. 90
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1570 1645	1590 1565	1645 1620	1680 1680
Gain or loss	+75	—25	—25
Av. weight during trial ....	1633	1578	1655	1686
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Total oats eaten . . .	4362 2181	4374 2187	4341 2170	4426 2213
Total grain eaten	6544	6562	6512	6639
Av. grain per day	17.98	18.03	17.89	18.24
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total alfalfa eaten, Ibs	1.10 6083	1.14 2999	1.08 6291	1.08 3141
Total timothy eaten		2999		3141
Total hay eaten	6083	5998	6291	6282
Av. hay per day. . .	16 71	16 48	17.28	17.26
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor ...	1.02 2583	1.04 2595	1.04 2477	1.02 2415
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . .	8.28 27	8.31 26	7.94 39	7.74 41

TABLE D. — SUMMARY OF 1916-17 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH HORSES: 364 DAYS

Ration: Ear Corn; Alfalfa

Horses	No. 95	No. 91	No. 87	No. 90
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1670 1680	1595 1580	1600 1665	1680 1740
Gain or loss	+10	—15	+65	+60
Av. weight during trial	1662	1571	1618	1703
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Av. ear corn per day	5512 15.14	5558 15.27	5886 16.17	6004 16.49
Av. ear corn per cwt. per day Alfalfa: Total alfalfa eaten, Ibs. . . .	.91 6430	.97 6446	1.00 7220	.97 7197
Av. alfalfa per day	17.66	17.71	19.84	19.77
Av. alfalfa per cwt. per day . Hours of labor: . Total hours labor	1.06 2495	1.13 2495	1.23 2539	1.16 2539
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	8.00 32 2966	8.00 32 2966	8.14 27 2955	8.14 27 2955
Av. miles per hour	1.19	1.19	1.17	1.17

426

BULLETIN No. 238

TABLE E. — SUMMARY OP 1912 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH MULES: Ration: X Ear Corn, K Oats; Clover

[January, 364 DAYS

Mules	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3	No. 4
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1360 1440	1370 1465	1315 1380	1305 1430
Gain	80	95	65	125
Av. weight during trial	1381	1376	1327	1351
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Total oats eaten	3333 1666	3515 1757	3273 1636	3627 1813
Total grain eaten	4999	5272	4909	5441
Av. grain per day	13 74	14.49	13 49	14 95
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, Ibs	.99 5062	1.05 5070	1.02 4792	1.10 4796
Av. hay per day	13.91	13.93	13.17	13 18
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor ...	1.01 2477	1.01 2601	.99 2523	.97 2461
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	7.94 30 2872	8.34 19 3025	8.09 24 2815	7.89 29 2741
Av. miles per hour	1.16	1.16	1.11	1.11

TABLE F. — SUMMARY OF 1913 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH MULES: Ration: % Ear Corn, K Oats; % Clover, J^ Timothy

140 DAYS

Mules	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3	No 4
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1405 1375	1410 1355	1370 1355	1420 1410
Gain or loss	—30	—55	—15	—10
Av. weight during trial	1362	1380	1351	1390
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Total oats eaten	1071 535	1149 575	1085 542	1175 588
Total grain eaten	1606	1724	1627	1763
Av. grain per day	11.47	12.31	11.62	12 59
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total hay eaten, Ibs	.84 1628	.89 1628	.86 1622	.91 1633
Av. hay per day	11.63	11.63	11.59	11.66
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor	.85 1066	.84 966	.86 1065	.84 1075
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel: Total miles traveled	8.88 10 1383	8.05 20 1283	8.88 4 1564	8.95 4 1575
Av. miles per hour	1.30	1.33	1.46	1.46

1928}

FEEDING FARM WORK HORSES AND MULES

427

TABLE G. — SUMMARY OF 1914-15 FEEDING! EXFE-IIMEST WITH MULES: 364 DAYS Ration: % Ear Corn, % Oats; Alfalfa, or Yz Timothy, Y2 Alfalfa

Mules	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3	No 4
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1315 1330	1380 1320	1325 1305	1375 1305
Gain or loss	+15	—60	— 20	— 70
Av. weight during trial . . .	1363	1353	1320	1355
Grain: Total corn eaten, Ibs	3381	3317	2996	3114
Total oats eaten ....	1690	1658	1498	1557
Total grain eaten	5072	4976	4494	4671
Av. grain per day	13 93	13 67	12 34	12 83
Av. grain per cwt. per day . . Hay: Total alfalfa eaten, Ibs Total timothy eaten	1.02 5244	1.01 2585 2585	.93 4676	.95 2397 2397
Total hay eaten	5244	5170	4676	4794
Av. hay per day	14 40	14 20	12 84	13 17
Av. hay per cwt. per day. . . . Hours of labor: Total hours labor . . .	1.05 2668	1.04 2520	.97 2665	.97 2661
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . .	8.55 16	8.07 37	8.54 15	8.52 16

TABLE H. — SUMMARY OF 1916-17 FEEDING EXPERIMENT WITH MULES: 364 DAYS Ration: Ear Corn; Alfalfa

Mules	No. 1	No. 2	No. 3	No. 4
Weight: Weight at beginning, Ibs Weight at end	1295 1375	1290 1390	1270 1240	1305 1370
Gain or loss	+80	+100	—30	+65
Av. weight during trial . . .	1360	1364	1298	1374
Grain: Total ear corn eaten, Ibs Av. ear corn per day	4220 11 59	4222 11 60	4030 11 07	4276 11 75
Av. ear corn per cwt. per day Alfalfa: Total alfalfa eaten, Ibs	.85 6114	.85 6114	.85 5564	.85 6091
Av. alfalfa per day	16 80	16 80	15 29	16 73
Av. alfalfa per cwt. per day . Hours of labor: Total hours labor	1.23 2535	1.23 2535	1.18 2616	1.22 2616
Av. hours labor per work day Number of idle work days. . . Travel- Total miles traveled	8.13 34 3062	8.13 34 3062	8.38 21 2938	8.38 21 2938
Av. miles per hour	1.21	1 21	1 12	1.12

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA

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