The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-11
,Chanae afPa.,prs for Cattle.

This lisa subject of controversy.
Some contend that it is better for stock
to have frequent change from stale TO
fresh feed during the grazing season.
Its utility will depend somewhat upon
the varieties of grass which the pas
tures contain, and the convenience Of
the nroprietor. Small fields are more
extensive in fences than larger ones,
because there are more of. them to
build and keep in repair. That item,
therefore, is an Inconvenience. A sud
den change of diet with cattle, always,
to some extent, damages their stOmachs
and bowels. Taken from shorter or
dryer grass, and put on to flush heritage,
is apt to scour them, and while under
such operation, the fattening beast
loses flesh, or ut least does not gain IL,
and the COW loses in her usual How Oh
milk. This we have known from re,
peated trials. Not that animals should
not be changed from poor feed to better,
but whether in the small fields which are
10 keep them through tie grazing sea Oh,
and with an abundance of feed, 1t is not
better to let them range over all oil
them at will, and enjoy the whoie OF IL
as they choose.
We incline TO the latter. Cattle are
quite local in their attachments. They
best like the places to which they are
accustomed. They also like variety
in their food. Large fields usually offer
greater variety than small ones, and
almost every day they seek that vari-
ETY.. For twenty-five years past, we
have had a pasture of more than hun
bred acres in single field, in which we
have grazed cattle, horses and sheep. In
that pasture are different elevations,
most of it being dry upland, covered
with bluegrass, white clover and other
mixed grasses; some lower grounds,
growing rcd-top and foul-meadow; some
lowland copses of wood, and under
growth of bushes, and rank wild grasses
interspersed; and range OF marsh by a
river shore, covered with rank growth
of sedge grass.
Almost daily throughout the season
the cattle range over every part OF the
field, feeding in every quarter on which
they roam, and frequently leaving the
highest, sweetest grass, to fill them
selves from the coarse, and what We
would deem the least palatable heritage
of the marsh wood. 1t is certain that
they like this variety, or they would
not indulge in it; and had they been
confined to either alone, would have
hankered after the other. We admit
that some of the grass where the cattle
continuously feed, by being much trod.
den over and laid upon, becomes soiled
and distasteful for the time, but the
next rain washes it off, and it becomes
as palatable as ever.
Cattle. in their tastes, are somewhat
like men, and as those accustomed to
the highest luxuries like occasionally a
lunch of brown bread, With n smoked
herring, and partake of it with great
relish, so cattle, from the choicest blue
grass and white clover, love to plunge
into coarser grasses, or browse the
green leaves from the tangled brush
wood. Our impression is that the ex-
perionce of both graziers and dairymen
is growing in favor of the larger pas
lures without change, to the smaller
ones with frequent alterations-provi-
ded the grasses be equally abundant
.4mericdn Cattle Record.