Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-19
Feeding with Profit.

In feeding stock, as in feeding lant
judgment and good manaa ement arc re-
quireh. II any one supposes that he may
resor, 10 a system Of temporary stufiing as
u substitute for constant attention and
regular feeding through the year, let him
learn 1T once his mistake Nor will sieed-
ing alone he sufficient, even if pruden,Iy
attended to, unless cleanliness, and ventila-
too, aud all the circu,ns stances that conduce
to the animals comfort and well beng te
looked after.
"Pigs' says an English paper, "epjoy
the reputation of having real liking for
dirt, and certainly the way which they are
ke..t OH s.mr Iarrns would show that their
owners are determined to give them oppor.
unites for carrying out this liking. No
no,ion, can, however, be moro erroneous
than this, as none is c-r,~iuIy so productive
OF loss to tile keeper. Let any one not
convinced Of This, try tho two uodes O
keeping-,he dirt and the cleau-the food
being the satne, aud The result will show
him which of the two is best in the end"
So that besides good aud regular feed.
ing, pigs mus, be kept clean, notwihstand.
ing their reputation ior love Of fIth-a
reputation which ia misunderstood, as any
one might know who would obse, ve their
ceHnly habits when they have room enough
allowed them.
Then, great deal depends on the mode
in which they are housed, 10 have them
feed pr"fi:ahly A careful manager sdopss
method. A large clubhouse is enclosed at
the TWO sides, so as to be warm and dry
the floor is paved, aud sprinkled over with
burn, clay. and ashes obtained by burning
weeds. In this the pigs are fed while for
resting and sleeping they have compare-
ment ra'ed off ut thu other end, and which
is amply provided with clean straw.
Straw, if allowed to get damp aud
mooLly, is very apt to engender mango or
SKIN disease. hut treated as above the straw
is KEEP. dry, and enables the animal to keep
his .k'n thoroughly clean. The manner in
which he is housed gives him comfort,
c'eaplin.s., fresh air, and every necessary
condition for his well doing. As to the
feeding. the snme care which looks 70 the
animals c"nfort IN other respects, will Sec
that he is nor half starved through po:-
ton Of his existence and stuffed for the
rest.
The most profitable feeding is that which
is fairly distributed through his whole life.
He mus, be we'll and abundautly fed with
good food SO that he may grow and fatteu
continually, and make the best use of every
day he lives. It is mistake to suppose
that very abundan. feeding Is necessary to
keep up this steady, continual growth.
TIE same quantity Of rich and fa.tening
food is Used much more advautageously
given in moderate quantities through
longer psrioi Of time.
1t has been especially remarked Of beat
cattle, by the most experienced feeders
that any attempt to force, by extravagant
feeding, ia 40 much waste of food. A
feeder who practiced careful weighing OF
bi. fat'enipg cattle every week, found that
daily supply OF four quarts Of barley meal
to 6ue steer gave a weekly increase in
weigh, averaging eighteen pounds. A
neghbor advised him 10 push him, and
eight quarts were accordingly fed daily.
The weekly increase of flesh was less than
when he received four quarts. The
amour. being increased to twelve quarts
per day. he gained nothing at all. This is
not a solitary case, for it is sustained by
the experience of intslligent feeders, that
moderate supply Of food, given at stated
regular periods, il much more productive Of
flesh and fat than attempts at quick iasding
with excessive supplies. The philosophy
Of it is, that IN tbis case large portion of
tie food passes uudigested, and the organs,
from beng over taxed may become incs-
pab'e oi diges'lug enongh for the proper
nourishu.nt of the animal. -:t..f-..y
" Let it not be supposed then, that, for
land or animals exsravagant expenditure
can be substituted for careful, every day
management. -