American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-10-04
Tlle Farmers department.
Fattening Animals in a Hurry.

masses of flesh on poor cattle by stuff
ing them with rich food. Such at
tempts not only prove to be failures,
but are always wastefnl. The mate
rial consumed is nearly lost, the ami
mails remain comparatively poor, and
the owners are convinced that fatten-
ing animals for market "don't pay.
1t is perhaps well for the cause of
good management that all neglected
treatment of animals should result in
loss to the owner. IF he has starved
his cattle, sheep and pigs for year
or more, he cannot atone for 1t by.
sudden attempts to push them to fat
ness. On the contrary, the only true
way is to see that growth continues
without cessation, summer and winter,
from the earliest period of existence
ill they are finally sold in market.
A single check given to this continu-
cd progress may arrest or retard 1t
for months. Our own observations
lead as to the opinion that the whole
profits resulting from raising and
ftgtenhg, when this continued pro-
gress is kept up by careful, regular
but not extravagent feeding, are at
least triple the amount realized from
early neglect and heavy feeding aft
srwards-and often the difference is
many times greater than here stated.
There is nothing that should be
more strongly impressed on the mind
of the young farmer who makes the
feeding of animals a prominent part
of his business, than the Importance
of keeping up an unremitting growth
throughout the whole course of their
existence. The most successful pork
raiser with whom we are acquainted,
adheres strictly to this course; not
only feeding his store pigs well and
regularly through fall and winter,
but commencing the fattening not
merely in autumn, as is too commonly
the case, but early az tie spring.
1t is objected that this manage
ment is too expensive. This objec-
tion is urged by those who find two
or three months only to consume
mere than they can afford. They
feed heavily for short time, but do
not receive a corresponding return
of increased flesh. eff two months
feeding" they inquire, "costs US so
much money, how can we ever afford
to continue it for two or three years"
1t is very true they can not, because
the whole system which they adopt
is a proftless one. Fortunately it
does not require heavy feeding to
keep up the continued growing con-
dition Of an mails. Here is a great
error into which many have fallen,
which we have endeavored to cor
rect. John Johnston made the re-
mark some years ago that the copi-
Gus feeding of grain or meal to cattle
is no better than a moderate amount.
We gaye the statement some years
ago of experiments performed by G.
IL. Chase, of Cayuga county, who
carefully weighed every week all his
fattening animals. A daily supply
of four quarts Of barley meal to fine
steer, gave a weekly increase in weight
averaging eighteen pounds. A neigh
bor advised him to push him, and
eight quarts were accordingly fed
tally. The weekly increase of flesh
was less than when he received four
quarts. The amount being increased
TO twelve qnarts per day, he gained
nothing at all. Several similar in
stances have come to our knowledge,
and among others fine animal was
recently fed by neighbor peck or
more of rich meal per day. After
arging on the fattening process as he
supp sed, for several weeks, he was
finally sold and proved to be only a
few pounds heavier than when pur-
chased. The many bushels Of feed
which he had consumed, and the la
Dor of attendance given him, literally
went for nothing.
Successful feeders, who prove all
their experiments by weighing, have
long since ascertained that animals
in fine condition will lay on more flesh
for the amount of food eaten than
those of inferior charac er. Hence
shrewd men will not purchase lean
and raw boned animals for fattening.
This fact serves to establish the truth
that all animals at all stages of growth
should be kept feshy. 1t need be
scarcely necessary to remind any in
telligent manager that the difference
between attending to all the comforts
of an animal by cleanliness, good
wholesome food given regularly and
in moderate quantity, and neglecting
all these particulars, is simply the
,differencebetween those in fine healthy
condition and such as are feeble and
raw1boned. 1t may be laid down as
true, with scarcely an exception, that
the farmer who carries on the bust
ness of fattening at loss, is one who
,oclao+S at ono tima and .faads