American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-10-24
.farmlers Department.
Sheltering Stock ID Winter

or cold weather, but we Ind tnat III
warm weather an animal will keep
in condition on less food than coia.
The reason of this is, that there is
a less amount of carbon consumed
in order to keep up the heat of the
hodv in warm than in cold weather.
AS carbon is the heating principle
whereby the system is kept at a heai-
thy temperature, that element must
be supplied in some way if not by
food, it must be drawn from the fat
of the SYSTEM As a less amount OF
carbon .isrequired in warm than IN
cold weather, it stands to reason that
if the bqdy is kept protected from
the effects of the cold by proper COW
e1ing and shelter, than a less arount
of fuel or food, is required to keep
up the temperature thus we axe
a saving in feed without any exper-
diture of the carbon Of the system
already accumulated.
The temperature Of the animal
bcdy is much hieher than the sur
rounding atmosphere at all seasons OF
the year, with the exception of few
hours in Eun .ner, and unless thus pro
tected, outward, artifeially, large
amount of food is required to fur
nish the necessary elements of heat.
If this food is not furnished, the sys
ten must nevertheless keep up its
temperature, and this is done at first
by drawing on the fat, and afterward
on other parts Of the body. As a
necessary consequence, the anir;al
grows thin, and can endure less la
Dor or exposure than when we'll fed.
Different animals, under similar cir
cumstances, require some more and
Others less food to keep in good con-
dition, their appetites varying as
greatly as among the human family.
Where accurate experiments have
been made to test the gain of animals
with and without the ptotection of
suitable shelter in cold and inele-
ment weather, it has been found that
those having adequate protection
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 FIR
stock, provision should be made for
ventilation, as pure air is as import.
ant as good feed or warm stables
Horses, neat cattle and hogs, will do
well in quite warm stables, if good
ventilation is provided; on the con
trary, sheep will not do we'll if kept
very warm. A much freer ventila-
ton is required to keep them in good
health. Shut up simply for rapid
fattening, they feed better and fatten
faster if their pens are airys when
kept for breeding, it is essential that
they have protection from storms and
high winds, with liberty for free ex-
ercise in the open air at all times,
and plenty of good food f; 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,
and 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 dromeda-
ry, shivering with the cold, and con.
suming very much larger quantities
of food to keep the fire within from
going out Stock provided With suit
able protection from the inclomency
OF the weather of winter, or cold
seasons, not only consume less food,
but come out in spring looking bet
ter, in better health, and in every re-
speet healthier, requiring less care,
and consuming lcs' food in the fcrc-
part of tie season to adapt the sys-
TEN to the warmer season to follow.
Sheep need dry, well-lit'ered sheds
and yards, with feed of roots dai-
ly, if possibl,. Boughs of hemlock
or pine thrown to them two or three
times week, promote the health of
the flock. 1eaning ewes should
have close, well ventilated sheds, lit
tered with straw cut 8 inches long,
and warm yards. phe long tags of
wool should be clipped off around
their teats, so that there will be no
difficulty in the lambs finding them.
Should the lambs become chilled,
bring them into the kitchen, near a
good fire; if badly off, give warm
baths, rub them dry, wrap them in
blankets, and feed fresh ewes mllk,
warmed. A few spoonfuls of mild
milk punch (say one teaspoonful of
proof spirits in teacup of milk,
sweetencd) Nill often revive them at
once.
My advice, then, to all farmers and
owners of stock is, provide suitable
shelter and protection for all of your
stock if you cannot furnish good,
comfortable barns and stables, pro-
vide straw stables, where your stock
may stand dry. and be shelteredfrom