Provender, n.
Etymology: [OE. provende, F. provende, provisions, provender, fr. LL. praebenda (prae and pro being confused), a daily allowance of provisions, a prebend. See Prebend.]
1. Dry food for domestic animals, as hay, straw, corn, oats, or a mixture of ground grain; feed. "Hay or other provender." Mortimer. Good provender laboring horses would have. Tusser.
2. Food or provisions. [R or Obs.]
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for provender; he lists it under food.
Where he writes about it:
Feed, fodder, and provender are used only of the food of the lower animals, feed denoting anything consumed, but more commonly grain, fodder denoting hay, cornstalks, or the like, sometimes called "long feed;" provender is dry feed, whether grain or hay, straw, etc. — from food