Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1862-03-27
Value OF Roots for stock.

Among well-infOrmed men there Is
great diversity of opinion as to the
value ofroots, and particularly carrots,
as food for horses, cattle and sheep.
Much has been said and printed upon
the subject, without so far settling the
question as to make their true COM
parative value generally we'll under.
stood by those most interested. Hence
some are feeding carrots quite exten-
sivelY, while others are not using them
at all. We have frequently seen an
analysis Of carrots, showing that they
contain but very small per cent. of
nutriment, compared with grain; and
yet some contend that a horse will
work as we'll upon them as upon oats,
and two bushels of carrots are worth
as much for food for horse, whether
idle or at work, as one bushel of good
oats. Others on the contrary, regard
them as but of little value except oe-
casionally, for change, and many do
not raise them at all though they have
abundance of land adapted to their
successful cultivation, and their yield
is from two hundred and fifty to FIVE
hundred bushels to the acre, and
sometimes even more than this largest
quantity, when cultivated in the most
approved way.
The correct settlement Of this ques-
ton is Of the greatest Importance to
stock men, since upon it may depend
may depend much of their profit and
success as feeders and raisers. Most
of those who have had experience in
feeding carrots recommend their cul-
ture and free use for all kinds of
stock, and especially for horses and
milch COWS. They give horse fine
glossy coat and soft pliable skin,
prevent heaves and improve the gen
eral health and condition of the ami
NAL. When fed to milch COWS they
increase the flow of milk and give to
butter a peculiar rich color and supe~
rior flavor.
There cansbs no doubt but Whist
frequet chahg i food is Of great
adva to an animals, ana insures
them better health and general eondis
ton than any other kind can. We
have reason to fear that this import
and point in the animal economy is
sadly neglected by most stock men,
Some feed their cattle alternately
straw, corn fodder or roots and hay,
and are confident that this method
kegs them in better appetite, and
consequently better health, than when
one kind of food is given continuously.
We have no doubt but what carrots,
parsnips, beets and turnips are of
great value as food, when properly
fed, though carrots are generally con-
sidered the best. The Working Far
mer is of opinion that carrots should
never be used in place of grain, but
only as substitute for a portion of
grain. The value of the carrot does
not consist altogether in its nutritive
properties, but rather in its ability to
gelatinize all fluids with which it is
mixed. Thus, horse fed with three
quarts of oats and three quarts of car
rots, will do as well as if fed on six
quarts Of oats without carrots. If this
opinion is correct great saving may
be made by the use of carrots mixed
with grain, as they can generally be
bought for half the price of oats, and
the expense of raising them must be
but about one quarter that of raising
oats, and when properly cultivated are
quite as sure a crop.
Our own experience proves that
carrots, when fed continuously alone TO
horses, are of but little value, but when
mixed with meal or oats, contribute
largely to the health, Vigor, and good
spirits of those most useful class oi
domestic animals. Since so much
difference of opinion exists upon this
subject, we hope our correspondents
will give US the benefit of their knowl
edge and experience with carrots and
other roots as food for domestic ami
mals.-American Stock journal.