Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-01-05
The Farm, Garden, Kitchen d Shop.


iect-Winter Feed and Management of
Stock .
l. ID. X. CoLiinS-The natural way
for cattle to gain their subsistence Is
to Craze, l. e., take their food in a
green state, and in cold climates like
ours, when we put our cattle upon
winter feed, we put them into an ar
tifcial state or condition. Now the
nearer we can bring their feed to a
green state, and the nearer we can
place the cattle to natural position,
apprehend the more successful will
we be in our management and its re-
suits. This would be one strong ar
gument in favor of the early cutting
of hay, and also in favor of feeding
roots. Indeed it has been said with
truth that the value Of roots to feed
to cattle that are mainly confined to
dry fodder, cannot be accurately es-
timated by an analysis of the roots;
they possess a value aside from their
nutritive qualities, which we might
call their medicinal qualities. They
serve to keep the bowels Of the cattle
in a healthier condition, and prevent
constipation. Roots are not general
ly appreciated as they should be to
feed to cattle. Another important
item in the management of stock is
care. They should be well cared for
and warmly housed. | am not an ad
vocate of feeding straw; don't believe
that it pays as a general rule; would
rather put the straw under than in
cattle. It's said that good straw con-
tains about one half the nutriment per
ton that good English hay does. Now
it is well known that it takes pretty
good hay to make cattle gain in flesh
or grow. If fed upon straw they
would be obliged to eat twice the
quantity to get the same nutriment,
which would be physical impossible
ity. If cattle do not gain, where is
the profit in keeping them. The ar
gument in favor of feeding straw is
that we can keep more stock, but can
We in the aggregate grow more pounds
Of beef, wool, butter. &C., by feeding
our straw. than if we do not feed it.
If not then we get nothing for it ex-
cepting the manure it makes, which
we shall! get the same by using the
straw as litter to absorb the liquids
OF manure and make a comfortable
bed ior the cattle. The only way in
which | think | could feed straw pro
fitably would be in connection with
grain or roots sufficient to make the
feed as a whole, as good or better than
good hay. In short, as | look at it
the main object to be attained is to
keep our stock thrifty and growing
through the winter, and to so feed and
manage them as to accomplish this re
suit. A majority Of the stock in towr
will weigh less when they leave the
barn in the spring than when they
came to it in the fall. Here is a great
loss which should not be-
Moses bookkeeping stock thrift!
and growing in the winter, is wha
should be done, and we want to know
how we shall do it. | am satisfied
that one great requisite is to keep gu
stock warm and comfortable. know
a man who had two colts which h
thought were doing well without an
shelter at all during the entire winter
but the hay he fed to each one woult
have kept both in equally as good con
dition had he provided warm stabl
to shelter them. Cattle should be fe
regularly.
n. 4. RandaA-Wben cold night
commence in the fall | begin to put IN
cattle in the barn and feed them a Ii
tie. During the winter | keep m
cattle in the barn all the time, excep
ing while they are drinking twice
day. | see to it that every one has
chance to drink. Cattle should /
treated gently. | feed my straw {
my cattle and they gain on it. Viii
feeding straw | feed that alone, L
hay. Last winter by actual weigI
my cows gained on straw alone, and
think they are doing so now. lii
roots to feed, but don't have enoul
to feed all my stock and feed the
mainly to my young stock. | keep q
my stock under cover, cattle, horse
colts and sheep. Keep them all war;
Have not seen any frost on any of n
stock since built my new barn.
Il. Scon-Aiter frost comes in fl
feed as much as two fodderings p
day, so that my cattle don't get mo
than a third of their living on t
ground. During the winter | ke
them constantly in stable that new
freezes, excepting that | turn them q
to water morning and night. | fe
regularly morning, noon and night.
My cows consume by weight just abe
twenty pounds OF hay per day, and l
young cattle in proportion. /;
wintering two cows-one farrow-t
other is coming in next spring. Th