Turnips are in very general use for farm and cart-horses. Of late they have also been used a good deal in the coaching-stables; in many they have superseded the carrot. The Swedish variety is preferred. Common white and also yellow turnips are almost worthless. According to Von Thaer 100 pounds of Swedes are equal in nutriment to 22 of hay. For slow horses, turnips to a certain extent supersede grain but for fast-workers, they save the hay more than the grain. They have a fine odor when boiled, and this seems to make the horse feed more heartily. They fatten the horse very rapidly, and produce a smooth glossy coat and loose skin.

They are sometimes washed, sliced, and given raw, but in general they are boiled, and occasionally steamed. In the raw state they excite indigestion very readily, and are not much liked. Few horses get them oftener than once a day They may be given oftener, but the horse soon begins to refuse them. If they are to be used for several successive weeks, they should not be given oftener than once in twenty-four hours, or at most twice, and then not in very large quantities. When the quantity of food is limited, the horse will be glad to get them at all times, but in that case he must have little work. Straw, or hay, and turnips, will make an idle horse fat; they will enable him to do some slow work, but to perform full work the horse will not, or can not eat enough to keep him in condition : and for fast work he would eat more than he could well carry. Most usually they are given only once a day, and at night after work is over; chaff or hay-seed, and some grain, generally beans, are boiled along with them. They should always be washed.

They require much boiling, and when large they may be cut.