Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-10-22
Fattening Animals.
AN ARTICLE TO BE READ NOW.

Fattcning Animals.
AN ARTICLE TO BE READ NOW!
Atthis season, says the Maine Farmer, the at
tention of the farmer is often directed to the fat
tening of those animals which are intended for the
butcher and it is important for him to know how
he may turn such articles Of food to the best ac-
count. Several articles, such as pumpkins and
apples will not keep long, and are 10 be used in
ces so far as can be done conveniently, should be
fed out first; afterwards those that are more nu-
tritve. Fattening animals should be kept quiet,
and suffered to take more exercise than 10 nee
essary for their health. All exercise more than
this calls for an expenditure Of food, which does
not avail any thing in the process of fattening-.
They should be fed regularly. with suitable food
and that properly prepared and as much should
be given them they are able to convert into flesh
and fat, without waste. "In the animal economy,
the accumulation of fat and extra flesh, is only a
deposite Of super1uous nutrment, which not being
required by the system at one time, is laid by for
future emergencies and it must be obvious that
! tie larger the quantity Of food which fattener
can be made to consume daily, with good appe-
tite, or digest thoroughly the greater will be the
amount Of flesh and fat gained in proportion to the
whole quantity of food consumed
Animals will not thrive with any amount Of food
they are 50 closely confined that they cannot wear
off their flesh by exercise it is, therefore, impor
tant that they be fed regularly, and that there
should be nothing to disturb them, or exercise fear
or discomfort.
Of the root crop, for nutritive properties, pota-
toes stand first then carrots, rutabagas mangel-
wurtzels, which are all nearly as valuable and
nutritious. Ofgrain, wheat stands first; then
peas, Indian corn, barley, and last oats. Much
Indian corn is used in fatening
swine. For these, there is great gain in having
it both ground and cooked. 1t is said that where
swine are fed on mush or hasty pudding, they are
much more quiet, and consequently gain flesh
much faster, than where the same ingredients are
fed uncooked
The following hints on the subject, from that
valuable agricultural journal, the Albany C~lti-
| GATOR, will be found Of interest:
Substances in which the nutriment Is much
concentrated, should be fed with care. There is
no danger, especially when the animal is first put
to feed, that more may be eaten than the digest
i've organs can manage. Meal of Indian corn 10
highly nutritive, and when properly fed causes
animals to atten faster than almost any other food
| They will not, however, bear to be exclusively
kept on this article for any length Of time Meal
made from the heaviest varieties of corn, especi-
ally that grown in the northern and easeln States
quite too strong food for CATTLE sheep or horses
TO be full fed upon. Hence one of the advantages
of having the cob ground with the corn, by which
the nutriInenti is ditfnsed through greater bulk,
lays lighter on the stomach land is thoroughly
dgested. The effect Of pure corn meal On ami
mails, we suppose to be something similar to that
sometimes produced on our own species by the use
OF fine wheaton fiour-the subject becomes dvs.
Peptic, and is forced to use bread which has the
bran mixed with the flour. The mixture of the
cob with the corn, answers the purpose of BRAN
the IF he 10 md ho
cess Of digestion goes uninterrupedly. In fact.
the advantage Of grinding the cob and the corn to-
gether for feeding cattle may be said to he we'll
Established. For hogs, the benef. Of the cob, Is
aes, we think, SO evident; those animals appear
ing to be better adapted to taking their nourish-
ment in concentrated form, than those which
rumnate or chew their cud. Yet food sufficiently
bulky IL effect the dstention Of the bowels is neg.
essary for hogs.
"Hay or straw Gu, in length SO short as to be
readily mixed with meal, answers good purpose
in rendering the meal easy Of digestion, and In
| enabling the animal to extract all the nutrimeat
from it.
''The conclusion arrived at from the result of a
series of experiments instituted by the Highland
Society of Scotland, few years ago, was that tho
superiority of cooked unlocked food for cattle
is but rifiing, and not sufficient to balance tho
COSTS but for hogs the extra cost Of preparation
was repaid.
"The appetite and health Of the animals are
promoted by giving variety Of food. This fact
has led to the preparations for fattening stock For
fattening hogs we have used with advantage the
following mixtures. i. Two parts potatoes and
two parts pumpkins; boil together until they eau
be easily mashed fne-then add one part meal.
stirring and mixing intimately together The
heat ofthe potatoes and pumpkins will scald or
| cook the meal, and when cold the mixture will be-
W. rs
of ripe palatable apples, (ei,her sweet or sour;)
boil till they can be mashed fine-,hen add ono
part meal, (ether from corn, barley. or oats and
peas, allowing the same weights,) and mix TO-
gether while the potatoes and apples are hot.
''Hogs are more fond of food when it is slightly
farmented (not becoming pungently sour, & they
appear to atea faster if it is given to them in this
state We have never seen hogs thrive faster
than when TED on these mixtures, with occasion
the pork solid and ofgood quality"
GRAZlNG.-It is estimated by an intellieen,
drover, says the Warrenton Flag, that the two
counties of Fauquer and Loudoun, have this wear
bought not less than t,centy thousand head of stock
cattle, at an average of SIS per head amounting
to the sum Of three hundred thousand dollars. and
that these cattle will probably bring this Fall, az
beef, from foe to siu hundred thousand dolars!-
Inc cattle are brought chiefly from the West and
Southwest portions Virginia. The new business
is producing great change in the domestic econ
omy of that portion of Virginia-fewer hands are
required than formerly, and many slaves have ac-
cordlngly been sent 10 work the cotton fields OF
the South. The rough mountain lands are be-
coming more valuable being sown in grass.
The Lynchbnrg Virginian states that Mr.. Fl.
N. Dock, of Western New York, arrived few
days ago in Amherst, with flock of 800 of the
best American Saxony sheep, whose wool ranks as