Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-26
Feeding and Caring of Stock in Winter.

A dog, it is said, will starve in three
weeks if fed upon fine white bread only, and
yet the -four of which it is made contains all,
or very nearly all, the elements required for
his support in high condition.
A horse, an OK sheep would hardly sur
vive, longer if the nutritivo portion of their
food were separated from the innutritive and
administered in concentrated form.
1t is patent that one plant agrees better
with one species of ANIMAL while others bet
ter suit other species, and that no two spo-
cies are precisely alike in their requirements
of food.
These and similar facts afford just ground
for the conclusion that much skill, derived
from continued observation Of the effects of
feeding, is requisite to the most profitable ex-
penditure of the farm products for the pur.
pose Of producing animal grwth,
A few Things in relation to feeding are
now pretty well understood as that earl y-cut,
wel-cured, tender and nutritious hay is al
most essential to success with the winter dali
ry; that later-cut hay, more woody and less
nutritious, is more profitable consumed by
horses working oxen and the general stock
Of the farm, that ty mich COWS or very
young stock; that oats are favorito food
for the horse, we'll adapted to produce mus
Gle, vigorous development of limb, high
spirits and noble bearing; that Indian corn
possesses remarkable fattening properties /;
that any animals. in order to give the best
return for their food, should bo kept comfort
able, contented and satisfied with their lot.
Some people suppose that domestic animals
do not think. The truth is they do think
some Of them think very badly Of their own
ers Cor the treatment they receive. 1t some
times happens that horse is more entitled to
the rank of thinking being than his master.
Animals are capable of being happy, pleased
with their condition and coatented in it, and
when so, they thrive on less food than they
would grow lean upon when miserable and
discontented. To treat them well is due to
their senticnt nature; to abuse them is to
offend against some at least OF the many
qualities aud capabilities which wo ourselves
possess and are proud of-as Dve gratitude
and appreciation of kindness.
Among the things not so we'll understood
one relates to temperature. The animal
that is to pay in growth for his food must be
kept warm, not in crowded, smoultering
condition, with bad air and other discom-
forts. but comfortably warm. The nitrogen.
GUS portion of the food goes mostly to form
muscle or lean flesh. The carbonacious por.
tions 60 in part to keep respiration in the
lungs, whereby animal heat Is Produced
But if the animal be exposed to intense cold
the carbon Of the food is all consumed In the
lungs, and its products are exhaled into the
air. No animal tissue is formed by it,
There is no growth. The only effect Of food
SO consumed is to keep the animal alive, anG
to prevent his freezing, as a dead animal il
the same exposure would. 1t would be pos
sible, in our severe climate, to keep an OK SC
uncomfortably cold all winter that, although
he should consume the food which woult
keep two such oxen growing The whole timt
in a, perfectly protected situation, he would
NOT be one pound heavier, in the spring thar
the preceding fall, and the only return fo
his food would be 10 the rise III market valu,
which cattle might have taken over winter
Now, if by such outrageous cruelty the far
mer would loose the whole Of bis forage, b,
half as much cruel exposure he would oos
half Of it, and so in other proportions an,
it may be laid down as an uudoabted law
that every departure from that kind treat
ment which is due to domestic animals, i
the matter Of providing for their warmth
will be visited with proportional loss to III
owner.
! Another thing, less understood and less at