Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-11-29
farmers 9fpatnltrf.
shelter for Stock in Winter.


rocrespondence Of the American farmer'l
A healthy animal requires GER
tain smour,t Of food in either warm
or cold weather. but we find that In
vsrm weather an animal will keep In
ceudition on a less amount oil selld
food than in cold. The reason OF
this is. that there is less amount
IF carbon consumed in order to keep
up the heat Of the body in warm,
than in Geld weather. As carben is
the heating principle whereby the
system is kept st healthy tempera-
ture. that element must be supplied
in some wsy; if not by food, it must
be drawn from the fat OF the system.
As 3 less amount of carbon is re-
ouired in warm, than in cold wealth
er. il stands to reason that If the
body is kept protected from the et-
fects of the cold by proper covering
and shelter, that . less amount OF
fuel or food, is required to keep up
the temperature; thus we make a
saving in feed without any expendi-
ture of the carbon OF the system al
ready accumulated.
The temperature of the animal
body is much higher than the sur
rounding atmosphere az all seasons
of the year, with the exception of
few hours in summer, and unless
thus protected, outward, artifcially,
q large amount OF food Is required
to furnish the necessary elements Of
heat. If this feod is not furnished,
the system must nevertheless keep
mp its tempersture, and this is done
at first by drawing on the fat. and
afterward on other parts OF the body.
AS a necessary consequence, the an
imal grows thin, and can endure lees
labor and exposure than when well
fed. Different animals, under simi-
lar circumstances, require, some
more, and others less food to keep
IN good condition, their appeites
varying as greatly as among the hu-
man family.
Where sccurate exr eriments have
been made to test the gaiR of ami
mails with and without the protection
Of suitable shelter in cold and in
clement weather, il has been found
that those having adequate protec
ton, gained flesh on less food than
would keep those unprotected from
actually falling away.
In providing stables, which are
found to be the best protection for
stock, provision should be made for
ventilation, as pure air is as import
ant as good feed or warm stables
Horses, neat cattle and hsgs, will do
well in quito warn stables, if good
ventilstion is provided; on the con
trary, sheep will not co well if kept
very warm. A much freer Yentila.
ton is required to keep them in
health. Saut up simply for rapid
fattening, they feed better and fatten
faster if their pens are airy; when
kept for breeding, it is essential that
they have good protection from
storms sn6 high winds, with liberty
for free exercise in the open air at
all times, and plenty of good food
their pens should be well ventilated
at all times to insure the health of
the old ones, as well as their young.
In view of the foregoing facts, it
is the better economy of the farmer
to provide good warm stables and
shelter for his horses, horned cattle
aud hogs with suitable pens and
shelter for his sheep, instead of Civ
ing them only the protection gained
by the shelter Of some stack or fence
corner, where they will double them
selves into the shape of dromedary.
shivering with the cold, and consum-
ing very much larger quantities of
food to keep the fire within from gs-
ing out. Stock provided with good
and suitable protection from the in
clemency Of the weather of winter,
or cold seasons, not only consume
less food, but come cut in spring
looking better. in better health, and
in every respect healthier, requiring
less food in the forepart Of the sea-
son to adapt the system to the warm
er season to follow.
My advice, then, to all farmers and
owners of stock is, provide suitable
shelter and protection for all of your
stock; if Yen cannot furnish good
comfortable barns and stables, pro-
vide straw stables, where your stock
may stand dry, and be sheltered
from driving storms of snow, rain
and wind.