The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-01-31
From the New York Times.
shelter Che0Der than Fodder.


Notwithstanding much that has been writ
ten during few years past. especially IN the
agricultural journals, on the true principles of
winter protection and feeding Of domestic ami
mails, there j. still great amount OF costly ig
sorancc on THE subject
Last winter we CHANGED upon the. farm Of a
man Who possessed a fair share of intelligence
upon general matters. and we were not lit
lie surprised to find him still clinging to the
old opinion that bis stock wintered better " hen
exposed to cold. than if warmly housed. He
sept 10 account Of the food consumed, bu, his
observation had taught him. and truly, that
is sheep, for instance. consumed more food
10 cold winter than in one Of moderate tem-
perature; and be reasoned that if they could
cat more, it indicated better health, and
aster growth of flesh and wool. and OF course
: greater profit. Following out this opinion.
lie kept flock Of sheep in an open field, ex-
posed to bleak winds and pelting storms. In
his field he had placed number Of small
stacks of hay, 10 one after another Of which
hey had free access. and upon which they
made rapid inroads. Their only shelter was
afforded by the leeward Of these hay stacks.
and BY the stone walls that surrounded the
fields. together with grove on the northern
SIDE. served to break off the wind in that di
rection. but from entering which they were
prevented by the intervening fence. He was
quite sure they ate better when thus exposed
than if housed or allowed q warm shelter
around and under the barn. His other stock
were treated in a similar manner Instead Of
warm sheds or stables. they fed and slept in
cold open yard. He said that it kept them
ia better heart" and gave them sharp ap-
pctite,-as TO the latter, he was doubtless cor
rect.
But he, like thousand Of others, had
drawn his conclusions from false theory
which few careful experiments would have
corrected. He should have considered that
tho profilablsness Of keeping animals depends
not upon the absolute amount Of food they
consume, but upon the greater or less product
Of flesh, wool. DC. obtained from a given
amount of nuriment. Had he weighed his
animals in the Fall and divided them, keeping
one part in close. warm sheds or stalls, and
the other part in the cold situation. he would
have found that the protected animals. while
consuming less food. gained more In weight
than the others, and in May or June would
have been in superior health and heart. In
the case referred to, it was found necess ~ to
give the sheep dose of tar by applying it
upon their noses in the Spring. to operate as
a tonic, and 10 counterfeit the running at the
nose" prodnced by colds which sheep catch
as well men.
There is a principle or two involved in
feeding and nutrition, which. if we'll under.
stood by all who have the care Of animals,
would render their labor doubly profitable
The food consumed BY animals serves double
or treble purpose. 1t supplies the waste of the
system produced by the natural wear Of the
various organs. and keeps up respiratic and
the resulting heat. What is left after these
ends are served. goes to increase the flesh or
weight.
The ,cear depends upon the amount Of ex
ercise taken hence the more quiet animals are
kept after allowing just enough exercise TO
preserve the organs in healthy state, the
less will be the amount Of food required to
supply the waste.
The heat Of the body results from the con-
sumption Of carbonaceous food. especially the
oily and starchy portions. The union Of the
carbon in tallow candle or oil lamp with the
surrounding air. producing the heat and the
flame has an exact counterpart in the lungs
and blood of the animal, when the air drawn
a at respiration. unites with the oily or fatty
matter in the blood, and gives heat TO the
system.
On warm day rot much heat is removed
rom the surface Of the body. and the animal
oreathes less rapidly and fully. and less fat is
consumed to supply wasted heat. i
II the same amount Of oily food is consumed
md dges,ed as on cold day, there viii be
larger surplus to be stored away as fat. AS
matter of course. the colder the weather is
The less surplus fat or profit will be obtained
rom the food.
Another point usually overlooked is this !
In the coarser substances, such as hay and
straw. consumed by animals, there is but
small proportion of oily or carbonaceous mat +
ter. and TO get at this. it is necessary to digest
i prodgious quantity of food. This OVERLAP
es the digestive organs, and results in more
or less debility.
We have here an explanation why smaller
quantity of meal, which produces oil and
starch. (both Of which are rich in carbon, the
chief heat producing element will keep an
animal in much better health
The principles above indicated, which are
fully established by both scientific theory, and
oft repeated experiment. lead to the certain +
conclusion that, for all kinds of animals.
whether kept as stock. or for fattening, it is
most profitable to furnish warm shelter. We
repeat: flock of sheep or drove Of cattle. /
will. without doubt, eat much less food and .
gain more in weight if kept nearly at summer I
heat during winter, than # left exposed TO our
aclement weather.