The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-11-16
AGRICULTURAL.
ON COOKING FOOD FOR CATTLE.

We arefrequently asked whether the cook
ing oil food for stock, by steam or otherwise
would be profitable. So far as regards feed
ing cattle, we are wiIhoutany reliable exper-
iments which have been made in this country
to test this point. The subject has attracted
much attention in England and Scotland and
the results OF several experiments lheremade
have been recorded. These experiments
seem mostly TO lead TO the conclusion, that
though 10 some instances cooked food does
produce greater gain than the same amount
oil raw food, yet The advantage OF the former
is not sufficient TO delray the expense. IT.
feeding hogs, however, especially where
grain oil any kind is used; the advantage Of
cooking seems TO be generally admitted. We
ale also inclined TO think, that there may be
an advantage in partially cooking some kinds
oil iood Tor cattle-such as corn stalks, chat,
or straw, which by this means become more
palatable. and the nutriment they contain
rendered more soluble and more easily assim-
llafed. The whole subject OF feeding ami
mails, however, Is one deserving gilmore thor
ough investigation than it has here received,
and we would earnestly commend il 10 the at
lenlon OF our agricultural societies. In the
meantime, we submit the following extract
from an article ION the management of Live
Stock IN Scotland" published in The London
farmers Magazine:
An important question regarding the feed
ing oil cattle, and one in reference 10 which
considerable diversity OF opinion still prevails,
Is wheiher cooked OF uncooked food is the
most prohlable. The determination OF this
question has been made the subject of care
lul experiments byeminenl farmers northof the
Tweed, and shall now give an eptome Of
the results obtained, and The conclusions ar
rived at.
Mr.. BOSWELL, of Kincausie, in Kincar-
dIneshlre, experiment on ten Aberdeenshire
horned cattle, very like one another. and their
food consisted of the Aberdeen yellow bull
lock turneps and potatoes. The five put on
raw food weighed alive 22S stones IL lbs.
and the other five on cooked food 224 stones
6lbs. When slaughtered, the butcher con-
sIdered both beef and tallow TO be perfectly
alike. Those fed on rawlood cost f32 2s Id
aud those on cooked f34 5s. l0d. leaving a
balance OF expense OF de2 IS. Cd. in favor Of
the former Mr.. Boswell mentions that the
lot on raw food consumed more than those on
steamed, and that when ran turneps and DO
latoes were put into the stall at the same
time, the potatoes were always eaton up be-
fore turnep was tasted; while. on the other
hand, steamed turneps were eaton in prefer
terence to steamed potatoes. The conclusion
arrived al by Mr.. Boswell is. ttatit is un-
profitable 10 feed cattle cooked food. at
appears" he says, that it is not worth the
trouble and expense of preparation 10 feed
cattle on boiled or steamed TODD as although
there is a sayingIn food, il is counterbala iced
by the cost of fuel and labor, and could only
be gone into probably where food is very
high in price, and coal very low"
The above results; regarding the unprofit-
ableness ofcooked food have been corrobora-
ted by the experiments Of Mr.. WALKER, Of
Ferrygate, in East Lothian. He selected in
February six heifers that had been on turneps
and were advancing in condition. and divided
into two lois OF three heifers each, and puI
one LOT on raw food. and The other on steamed.
lie food consisted ofas many swedes as they
could eat, with 3lbs. OF bruised beans. anG
2Ops oil potatoes, half a stone OF straw, and
2oZ OF salt, 10 each beast. The three ingred-
Ienls were coo''ed by steaming. and the
bruised beans were given TO the lot on raw
ood al noon. and onc-half Of the potatoes in
he morning. and the other in the afternoon.
II was soon discovered that The lot on the
cooked food consumed more turneps than he
Than the other, the consumption being exactly
3Icwt. l6lbs.; whilst, when eaten raw, il was
only % cwt. or. II lbs the difference
continued during the progress OF the expert
ment for three months.