American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-06-29
Tlle cfarnler's department.
Corn Fodder for Cattle.

ing corn fodder on farm where we
kent seven head of horses and twen-
ty head of cattle. | cut the stalks
with a two horse railroad power ma
chine. cutting from three hundred to
six hundred bushels at a time. I
had large trough, say ten feet long,
three feet wide and two feet deep, in
to which / put the cut fodder, and
then put over it.so eorn-chop-
corn chopped, cob and all. This l
mixed and fed out to the stock, and
in this wayI fed out all the stalks
raised ON about twenty-five acres, a
quantity of hay and soft corn. We
had eleven head ofsteers for beeyes,
which we got in September, and in
April they were scarcely fit to kill.
We kept them until July, feeding and
pasturing alternately, when we sold
them for little if any more than they
cost, having only the manure for
what feed they consumed and the
time and trouble of feeding them.
This, Mr.. Editor, you may think
was a losing game-at least not a
very profitable one. The reader
may suggest that there were some
thing wrong. This | admit. l be-
lieve in cutting corn fodder for cat
tle but it should be Fed only while
it is in good condition--in other words
before it gets all dried up say until
about the first Of February, for | be-
lieve that when they are perfectly
dried so that there is no substance
in them the cattle do not only refuse
to eatthem as well, but what they
do eat scours them and thus Injuries
their health therefore | would pre-
fer topped fodder to that cut up by
the roots, and if fed while green it is
as good as the best timothy hay.
Feed in the fore part of winter, and
save the hay until spring. Do not
have it chopped in the ear-cobs and
all. This | konw to be injurious.
Some people do not believe this, and
have heard of people buying cobs
to have them crushed and then mix
for feed. This is on par with the
man who made stone soup. As the
story runs, traveller got out of mon
ey and hard pressed for something to
eat. He stopped at a house with a
stone in his hand which he had pick
ed up, and said he would show the in
mates how to make stone soup if they
would let him have an iron pot.
This was given him, when he asked
for small piece of meat. This WAS
also supplied him. He then wanted
some cabbage and a few small pota-
toes. After getting all of these he
made a goodrepast on his stone soup,
but would have done just as we'll with
out the stone. So with corn cobs.
If you put enough of something else
with them, You may have a pretty
good mess, but it would be Just as
good without the cobs--at least this
is my experience.
Now as to stabling and outdoor fee-
ding. IF you wish to fatten, put up
your cattle in a good warm stable !;
keep it well ventilated and not too
dark; keep it well cleaned; bedyour
cattle well, and give them plenty of
water; then with a little attention
and judgment, you will soon learn
how much they viii eat. This is ne
cessary in order to feed economically
and yet with good effect. One rea-
son why our cattle did not do better,
or why | did not succeed better, l
attribute to the fact that our steers
were kept in the barn-yard all winter,
fed cut fodder in trough at one end
Of the yard, all lose, and they would
chase and gore. each other so that
some got more than their share, and
others less. Their loose feed was
scattered on the ground or on the
dung pile, and tramplcd under foot.
Perhaps the reader can see what
was wrong and be inclined to ask,
Why did you not remedy this evil !?
Well, | will tell you. l was employ
ed by man who is not a practical
farmer, and yet would not allow me
to use my discretion and benefit by
my experience. He owned the farm,
and insisted upon directing all the
operations thereon. In the end he
paid dearly for his "experiment," as
he called it; and surely it was" ex-
perimental,, with a grief; for he kept
his steers much longer than his neigh
bors, fed them a great deal more, lost
one by oyer-feeding, and sold them all
at an advance of only three-quarters
of a cent on the pound l think l
hear some good farmer-some expe.
rienced cattle feeder-say, "Served
him right-he might have had better
luck"
But why do men undertake to farm
who actually know nothing about it
why say they can not / learn
from book. What are an the treat
Use and essays on farming for if we
can not profit by them? This is