The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-12-18
AGRICULTURE.
From the Farmers Cabinet.
KEEPING CATTLE WARM

II we look abroad atthe habits or necessities
of people we find that as we advance from
south to north the consumption OF animal
food increases. Ithas been long known both
TO chemists and observing men that cold
atmosphere requires an extra quantity oil
food to sustain life and health. And this
observance is just as applicable to the cattle
and horses whose home is at our barns, as it
is TO our species. If they are kept warm,
housed from the storm, and shielded from
unnecessary exposure, they W i'll need less
food than if left unprotected. The winter
profit to he realized from mich cows is I'M
puestionably much affected by their treat
mont in this respect. | copy the follow ing
rmarks from the fourth part ofJohnstOn's ag-
ricultural Lectures, as particularly in point.
n. S.
THE degree of warmth in which the an
malls kept or the temperature of the at
mosphere in which it lives affec IS the guam
tty of food which the animal requires to
eat. The heat of the animal is inseparably
conuect,i with its respiration. The more
frequently it breaihes, the warmerit becomes.
and the more carbon it throws off from its
lungs. Place man in cold situation, and
means of warming himself. He will
probably take exercise, and by this means
cause himselfto breathe quicker. Bat TO do
this for length of time, he must be supplied
with more food. For not only does he give
off more carbon from his lungs, but the ex-
ercise he takes causes a greater natural waste
also of the substance of his body.
So it is with animals. The greater the
difference between the temperature of the
body and that of the atmosphere in which
they live. the more food they require to keep
them warm, and to supply the natural waste.
A proper attention to the warmth Of his cattle
or sheep, therefore, is of great practical con-
sequence to the feeder of stock. By keep
ing them warm, he dirninishes the quantity of
food which is necessary TO sustain them, and
leaves larger proportion for the production
of beef or mntton.
Various experiments have been lately pub
Iished which confirm the opinions above de-
duced from theoretical consideration. OF
these | shall only mention one by Mr.. Chill
ders, in which twenty sheep were folded in
the open field, ard twenty of nearly equal
weight, were placed under shed in yard.
Both lots were fed for three months-Janu5-
IgY L tuTudTN duu mdTCH-upOu tuTuipS DIS
many as the chose to eat, half pound of
linseed cake, and half a pint of barley
each sheep, per day. with a little hay and
salt. The sheep in the field consumed the
same quantity of food, all the the barley and
oil cake, and about 10 lbs. of turnips per day,
from the first to last, and increased on the
whole, 30 stone lbs. Those under the shed
consumed at first as much food as the others,
but after the third week, they eat lbs. less.
or only Is lbs. day. OF the oil-cake they
also eat about one-t bird less than the other
lot, and yet they increased in weight 81
stone 6 lbs. 30 stone, more than the others.
Thus the cold and exercise in the field
caused the one lot TO convert more of their
food into dung, the other, more of it into
mutton.
The absence of light, has also material
influence upon the effects of food in increas-
ing the weight of animals"