Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-07-28

Sailing Hay for Stock.

Man, in taking his food, can elect for him
self. as may best suit his taste, in regard to
salt or any other condiment he may use.
But it is net SO with our farm stock. They
cannot send for salt, pepper or vinegar at
will, but are dependent u pom us to study and
ascertain their wants and tastes, and then
judiciously to supply.
Our domestic animals have a keen sense of
smell. The pure soil is undoubtedly CRATE
full to them. They sometimes eat it with
aviditv, and especially in the spring, after
being shut out from it through the winter.
Horses will sometimes eat half a pint, appa-
rently with great relish, and we have no doubt
with benefit to themselves. When grazing,
they probably realize pleasure in the smell
of the soil, as well as in the taste of the fresh
grass.
All animals require salt in some form. even
our poultry, which it will readily deprive of
life If taken in an undissolved form. Min
eled and dissolved in a mash of boiled pota-
toes and meal it is highly beneficial to them.
How much salt each OK, cow and horse re-
quires in a given time, cannot be definitely
settled, because their wants are not Just
alike, scarcely in any respect. If half a
dozen cows consume a certain quantity of
salt in eight weeks in the summer, it would
be a fair inference, we think, that One-fourth
that quantity would be all they would volun-
tarily eat in cold weather. Some excellent
remarks on this subject we find in an old num-
Der OF the Country Gentleman, as follows -
Ii salt is applied in too large quantities tae
animals fed ubOn 1t viii certainly lose IN con-
dfti1n. When an animal is forced by long
abstinence, or by its food being too highly
sailed, to partake ofsalt in quantities beyond
what the natural instinct ofthe animal would
dictate, then it becomes poisonous or inJuri
Gus. and deteriOrates the health and condi-
ton Of an animal by undue secretions from
the liver. bowels, &c. These excessive Sc
c~retions rob the animal of a portion of its
food and carry off what otherwise would be
converted into fat, or flesh, or milk &c.
IL thus becomes a matter of considerable
practical importance to determine what is
the quantity Of salt which an animal would
naturally and instinctively crave during the
consumption of a ton of hay. Some have
recommended as much as eight quarts of salt
to each ton Of hay and very few have ever
recommended any less than four quarts. Now
it ii is our firm persuasion, from observations
made By ourselves and others, that in the
cold months no creature would crave or vol
UNFAIRLY eat as much as even two quarts OF
salt during the time of its consuming a ton
Of hay. If 50, this quantity and all beyond
it. would only be injurious to cattle or stock
of any kind, when forced upon them with
their food.
This is one Of the errors or dangers which
it would be well to guard against. The other
consists in the practice of getting in hay IN
a damp or partially cured state, under the
supPosition or expectation that a free appli-
cation of salt will preserve it from heating,
molding. or otherwise spelling. A quanti-
tv of salt which would be ~effectual for this
purpose would make the hay injurious, or
absolutely poisonous from excess of saline
matter.
Several years ago the practice of sailing
hav was all but universal. 1t was recon-
mended, not alone because it was supposed
that the hay was better cured by its use, but
because it enabled the farmer, as he supposed,
to house hay imperfectly cured, or that which
had got wet in the open air. This was car
ried so far, in some instances, that from
eight to sixteen quarts of salt would be scat
tered over a single ton o fhay, This practice
afforded a constant temptation to get in hay
in a s~lOvenly and imperfect manner, anC
must have resulted injuriOusly in the second
place by depreciating the health and value
of the stock that was obliged to feed upon it.
We refer to the subject, at present, be-
cause IL a 81 catching" hay season there are
strong inducements to resort to this in~juriou:
practice, unless some special thought is gi yer
to the subject.
In JudlcIOuS nanus, a nILle SALT, a quar-
or two to the ton, occasionally, may do ne
harm, but, possibly prove beneficial. The
true way, however, is to cure the hay indie
pendently of salt, and administer the condi
ment by itself when needed.
If a continued dietof salt junk brings thu
scurvy upon the poor sailor, we cannot wei
see why a similar diet will not bring som
dire disease upon stock that is compelled t.
feed upon it. The practice is a dangerou
ole, and ought to be resorted to with grea
care.-N. e. Farmer.