Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-11-27
FATTENING ANIMALS

NNVhtR
and it TO have been pretty we'll so,,od tLa,
Tor hogs u IS attended win considerable adyantn 4,
ges but as regards cattle, are vet without nov ~
reliable experiments made in this country. Thc
Highland Society of Scotland, instituted series of
experiments a few years ago, with view of ascer-
tanning the advantage, if any Of cooking different
kinds Of food for different species Of animals The
conclusion arrived at from the result of these ex.
perlnenis, was that the superiority of cooked over
uncooked food for cnWe is but triang, and not suf-
hcient to balance the cost but for hogs the extra
cost OF preparation was repaid. The articles tried
we're turnps potatoes, barley, and oatmeal, oil.
cake, and flax seed. We do not advert to these
experiments as altogether conclusive though as be-
fore SAID, we could not advise the outlay of much
expense Tor cooking food TOR cattle, till some addl-
tonl light shall indicate its advantages
The appetite and health of animals are promo
ted by giving a variety Of food. This fact has led
to the preparation Of compounds for fattenng stock
For iattenng hogs, we have used with advantage
the following mixtures:
| !. Two parts potatoes and two parts pumpkins
boil together till they can be easily mashed fine;
then add one part meal, stirring and mixing init
moieIy together. The heat Of the potatoes and
! pumpkins will scald or cook the meal, and when
cu!d, the mixture vii he a siiff pudding.
= Two parts potatoes, and two of ripe, palata-
BILE apples. (ehor sweet or souri, boil till they can
be mashed fine then add one part meal, (eher
that from corn, barley, or oats and peas, allowing
the same welghts,) and mix together while the po-
tatoes and apples are hot.
| Hogs seem more fond of this food when it has
slightly termented, mot become Lungenty souri,
and they appear to latten faster if 1t is fed in this
stale We have never seen hogs thrive faster
than when fed on these mixtures, with occasionally
Il little dairy slop, and we have always found the
pork solid and of good quality
In regard to the relative value compared with
grain, or different kinds of vegetables for feeding
stock, there is, perhaps, more diversity of opinion
han al nnv 9th hrat, nf h,shu n1r
Some, for instance, believe that four bushels of po
tatoes are equivalent to one bushel of meal;
others think potatoes should be reckoned higher;
others again hold them less valuable, while some
declare thai stock will scarcely fatten at all on po-
atoes and that for mich cows if they increase the
quantity, they injure the quality Of the milk. 1t IS
easy to understand fully the Of such con-
trary opinions but there is no doubt that it may
be considered partly attributable to the different de-
r grees Of nutriment which the same kinds OF vege-
tables possess when grown on different soils, and
f under different circumstances, and partly to the
different systems observed IN feeding. According
n to chemical analyses, turnips and other veg
} eables contain considerably more nutrinent when
/, grown on some soils. or by the aid Of some ma
= nures, than when produced on ether soils. Pota-
i toes produced IN soils deficient in carbonaceous
natter are acknowledged to be less nutritive than
d others.
But probably the prnci pal cause of vegetables
having been undervaued for animals, 49, their hay-
g Ing been used in an Improper manner. Boussin-
gau and his associates restricted the food OF GER
II tain animals to potatoes, turnips, mangel wurtzel
and carrots and from the result of this experiment.
5. inferred that these vegetables would not fatten
n swine or cate-tha they reduced the flesh of nlch
i cows and made the milk poorer-and that all the
/ butymceous PARTICLES the milk contained came
Il from the fat Of previously deposited in the system
i, Without attempting 10 discuss this matter IN de-
Of tail, would remark, that to practical man, ac-
n cnstumed to feeding animals with vegetables, these
n, results though at variance with Others would not
at appear strange. Ii Is well known that gramInver-
NJ Gus animals require food of fbrous nature. and
'e that essential function of species-canno
IN be carried on without it. 1t is also known tha
Us the articles alluded to have, when fed by them
[; selves, laxative cutharric action and thus, fol
De various reasons see the necessity OF feeding
or straw hay with vegetables in order to enable the
animal to derive full benefit from them. In the eX
nd pertinent OF 3onssngault the animals, 1t should be
'h remembered were confined to the vegetables, with
art ont any hbrous or absorbing substances to checl
T. the tendency to purgaton, and keep the food IN tn
mt nestines in such state, and for such length o
ne time, that the nutrtlve PARTICLES could be asslma
n ted. If the animals had been fed wholly on cor
te, meal wheat -four instead of potatoes and turnpS
te the effects probably, would not have been precse
nd uilar but practical firmer would expect stoc
- to thrive continue healthy, for any CONSIDERABLE
ne, length of time either OF these substances An
til yet we do not see why it might not with as niue
IA propriey be argued from failure to tauen stoc
nd on meal and flour, that it owing to dehclenc
my OF rutriment in these articles, that the failure
oil the former case was attributable to this cause
va am CuH