THE FARM.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 88, 27 September 1915, Page 1

THE FARM.

Offals. Among wheat "offals" bian takes the ptincipal place, as it constitutes about 24 per cent of the process rf milling wheat, and it may tc expected that as the eventtul result of the coming wheat harvest there will be a larger tupply than usual available for feed purpose?, says a British contemporary. Jn addition to the home production ot bran, we efcould also get some of the importations hitherto s-nt into Germany and Austria, and the importance of which may be seen from the fact tfcat before the war Germany was impotting bran at the rate of about a million and a-half tons a year, and Austria was also diawing largj quantities ftorn abroad, in the forced absence of shipments to those countries, a portion of the supplies will no doubt be shipped to the United Kingdom, and they will be welcomr, because ample supplies of such a valuable feeding stuff will help to keep down the excessive price of the concentrated cattle foods.

The digestible food constituents in wheat bran are albuminoids 10 per cent, oil 3 per cent and carbohydrates .37 per cent; barley bran is somewhat higher io quality, and oat bran considerably lower. For comparison's sake, it may be mentioned that good clover hay contains 5 per cent albuminoids, 1* per cent of oil and 37 per cent of carbohydrates.

The residue manurial value of bran is estimated at £1 8s 6d. Bran, as ii pointed out in the Journal of the Board of Agriculture, is particularly rich in mineral ingredients, lime and phosphates, and it is therefore specially suited for young growing animals and for brood animals of all kinds, both before and after parturition. It ii a very palatable food, and this fact, coupled with its well-known laxative infiuerce, peculiarly fits it for feeding in association with such concentrated foods as cotton cakes, bean meal and maize, or with ccarsc fodder.', such aa wheat or barley straw, when the supply of roots is restricted. In experiments conducted by the Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agiiculture in 1910-11 and 1911-12, with two-year-old fattening bullocks, bran proved equal to linseed cake io respect of the quantity and quality of the beef produced, and was slightly the more profitable feeding qtuff. In America, bran has been extensively used as a partial substitute for cats in teeding heavy t horses, and has resulted in a very considerable saving in the cost of maintenance. It was t'cund that tbese two foods might suitably be mixed in equal proportions for horses. At present pricts the feeding of broad bran seems frj ba extravagant. • ♦ Horses for Show. Conditionina and Preparation. (By an Experienced Band, in the "Tasmanian Mail."). There are two things needful to win at shows. Ihe first, cf course, is that the horse must Le good enough for the company he meets, but a second esteitial is that the animal must be well brought out. It must be got into proper show condition and trained to deport itself favourably in the show ring. Condition in particular counts for much in the eyes of the judges, so much so that unless a horse has been suitably conditioned its chances of success are much depreciated, or even may be wholly discounted it the company be strong. Every season it happens time and again, when two horses run one another closely io point ot merit, that it is superior coudition that proves the deciding factor in turning the scales in favour of the one horse.

To hring a horse into show condition demands considerable skill and much painstaking attention, but it is an art that may be leatnt by anyone, and there is no special mystery attaching to it, as some affect to believe. Three principal factors are to be named as playing a part in the conditioning process, these, briefly summed up, being feeding, grooming and exercise, the last embodying also the needful training, wfcicb necessarily varies much, according to the class of horse shown. The hackney, for instance, requires quite a different system of schooling for the show ring from the show hunter, or a horse intended to be entered in a hack clasi. It is difficult to define in so many words on paper what dergee of bodily condition exactly is to be aimed at in preparing a horse for show, but to give, at any rate, some tangible information regarding this all-important point it may, to speak roughly, be stated that the horses of toe light division require to be shown in a nicely-fleshed or what may suitably be described as a fresh condition, or they may even be on the lusty tide; but tbey should not be in such a fleshy, not to say fat, condition as it is customary to demand in the shire and other heavy draught horee breedsjj A horse in show form should have the ribs nicely covered with flesh, the flank should be full, and the crest line of the neck well filled out, aa becomes a well-fed horse, while it should be straight in the barrel. But, while the latter should not be in the least tucked up, it must net. on the other hand be too big or gross, siirh as is seen in horses that uie fed on an unduly bulky diet and do not get enough corn. It will ho apparent that a horse properly conditioned lor show re-

qi.es to be in a dUtinclly hitter fledied condition thin is the esse with horses ii hard working condition, which is aa often as not tignalised by a certain spare or lean look. The lesson, therefore, is that while a horse beirg prepared for the show ring must be liberally ftd on com, etc., we do not want to wu'k lha animal at all severely, as that would work off some of the flesh which it aimed at producing. TRUATMKNL TO SUIT THE INDIVIDUAL.

Ii some measures tb3 feeding is reflated by the individuality of th? horee, and it certainly will not answer to feed and treat all horses a like on a cut-anrj-dried system. For example, if an ai.imal happens to be light in the barrel and deficient in depth of lib or girth, it will be desirable that it should carry correspondingly more flesh, but just stopping short of actual fatness, wi h a view to obscuring these deficiencies as far as may be, as the greater the horse's concition ii the less the faults will obtrude themselves. On the other band, it the conformation is very good, and there is a notably deep and well sprung rib, these favourable pjints will be brought out ell the more conspicuously if we do not have the horse specially fleshy, so that the framework may cot be unduly covered up. These and kindred details need to be carefully studied in the preparation for show, if the most is to be made rt the horse's chances. LIABILITY TO OVEKDOING, The relatively heavy corning whicn is called for to produce show condition, combined with the fact that anything approaching real hard work is to be aviided, and only exercise in moderation is admissable, must necesarily tend to a heating effect. It consequently becomes incumbent specially to guard against any harmful results liable to accrue in this direction, or as the result of the high and full-blooded condition which is being maintained. To this end it is all important that frequent bran mashes should be included in the dietary. These have a cooling and highly beneficlel action, while green food may also advantageously be given as a regular feature, but, of course, in strict moderation, for too much would tend to etlaree the barrel unduly, besides impairing the bloom of the condition, beans are to be eschewed, as being tuo heating and liable to fill the legs, and usually oats alone will fully sjffice, in the way of corn, tor bringing a horse into good show form. If, however, the addition of some stronger food 19 deemed desirable, peas will best meet the requirements ot the case, but they should be supplied only quite sparingly. These will engender plenty of spirit and mettle, though, ordinarily, high feeding on oats will do ell that is needful in this direction. However, here, es in other respects, one must study a horse's individuality, and feed it accordingly.

The use of condiments and condition powders is optional. Many set g:eat store by these, bi<t it will be found that that they can generally 02 dispensed with, and powdeis and drugs do not have a wholesome effect when regularly used, though a course ot alterative powdeis will prove useful for stimulating the appetite should this flap, as it frequently does when a horse is highly fed. For the purpose cf improving the coat there is nothing better than linseed meal, of which a little may with advantage be regularly given, as it is a good conditoning food and withal wholesome. A little linseed oil occasionally may also be recommended, to assist the action of the bowls, excepting with horses of a washy nature, and which consequently are inclined to scour under excitement. When a horse is poor or has been lying out in the rough, it will need some extra pusL 01 to get it into good concition, atid in this case the inclusion of some locust bears, molasses meal, and malt, culms in the dietary is to be advocated.

Apart from having them thoroughly trained or schooled to carry themselves well and move with balance, one great secret of getting horses to show off to the best advantage in the ring is to have them above themselves, so that they may be in mettlesome mood. Never will a horse move with more vigour and stride out more gaily than when in the spirited condition resulting from his being kept above himself, or "full of beans," as grooms describe it. This is attained by dint of high feeding and absention from too much exercise or work. Particularly when a horse is of soft constitution and none too stouthearted will it be desirable to restrict the exercise, merely giving enough to maintain it in a healthy state and prevent it from becoming excessively frisky. EXLJRCISE AT A SLOW PACE. In regard to the exercise, this should chielly be of a slow order, consistng of plenty ot walking, interspersed witlfc bouts of trotting at a medium pace. b'uch slow exercise will help to fetch up the muscles as effectually as fast work for show purposes, if enough is given, and has the merit of not taking very much out of the horse. It will be well to exercise the animal plentifully io a circle, so that he becomes accustomed to moving round in the show ring. A good form of exercise consists in lunging, a side rein, fastened to the roller, being worn on the outside, in order to keep the head straight, or we may put thesj side reins on both sides. Their elTtot will bu to bbsisL in improving the carriage and promoting balance of movement.

A lorse being conditioned for enow cannot be greomed and strapped enough. Grooming should be done at aoy rate twice a day, and quite two hours daily should be spent on this, prtlerably longer. Besides putting the requisite gloss and bloom on the coat, real hard strapping promotes the health, which is a very important consideratijn, in view it the fact that the horse is being highly fed, and tot getting over-much work. A elotk coat is obtaintd if the horse is left undipped in th: winter, though, of course, it may not be feasible to dispense with clipping during that seaeo \ bur, if it can be conveniently managed, then it «ill certainly be best to refrain from having the winter coat in a horse intended to be Bhawa clipped. An essential part of the concitiomng process is to keep the bone tugged in the stable, to ensure a glossy cat and the proper bloom of condition. It will bs well, also to bandage the legs regularly, so as to keep them fine, the high feeding necessarily entaillrg a tendency for the legs to fill. If this undesirable feature should make itself at ell apparent, daily hand-rubbing of the back sinews and fetlock joints is to be recommended. Mane and tail must receive careful attention, and if there seems any dinger of the horse rubbing the latter, a tail guard must be habitually worn in the stable, to prevent it from becoming disfigured.