Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-11-29
THE HERALD.
HOUSING STOCK IN WINTER.

mate as ours, shelter for stock dur
ing six months of the year, from the
1st of November to the 1st OF May, is
absolutely essential to insure their
thrift and healthiness.
In arranging the yards and build
ings, however, to that end, there are
some important points that seem to
be too generally overlooked by our
farmers. One Of these is the digid-
ing and locating them 50 as to ar
range that the different classes Of
stock do not intormix, TO the mary
Of one another. If horses are bred
on the farm. tho colts need q good
yaid for exercise, with comfortable
close sheds fitted with feeding racks,
to run into at nights and stormy
days.
The young cattle need a separate
ward ana need sheds with racks TO
themselves, where they will have
room TO move about, and not be kept
in continual fear Of the old COWS and
oxen, which should be kept separa-
tcly in their stalls. Sheep should
never DO among other stock, but
have large yard with sheds open
to the south, if open at all. In any
case, buildings that arc used for
young stock or sheep mnst be con-
structed as to allow of good ventila-
ton at all times when necessary.
Another point often neglected is
the supplying light to animals that
are kept in close confinement most
of the time. We have frequently
observed that horses kept in dark
stables are almost always more sub
ject to shying when they are driven
out, than those that have well light
cd stables. One can easily conceive
that horse brought out from dark
stable into the bright glare Of win
ter sunshine is partially blinded, and,
in fact, we believe that much Of the
blindness common among horses ia
caused by constant sudden exposure
to light every time they are taken
out Of their stables.
Nature has given light as one Of
her blessings conducive to health, all
creatures having the organ Of sight
largely developed, and to deprive
any Of them OF the means OF cxeres-
ing that faculty is sure to result dis
astrously in some form or other. 1t
is noticeable how much less shying
there Is among horses in the summer
than in winter, which is probably
due 10 their being moro out Of thor
stables during that season, and even
when their stalls, tho doors are left
open during the day time.
Still another point is that of con-
slant cleanliness, both inside and out
of their shelters. We believe many
OF The diseases prevalent amongst
stock in winter can be traced TO the
want Of cleanliness and pure air
Every yard and shed should be kept
well covered with clean straw, and
every stable and byro so arranged
that the stalls and floors can DO read
lily cleaned out, and the ANIMALS
kept from accommodating filth on
their bodies. What else could be
expected than % general unhealth-
mess and want Of thrift in animals
that arc living in an atmosphere
that is constantly impreauatcd with
bad OdOra aud Impurities.
Let tho st0blca and byrca bo well
dried during tho day, whom 10 is not
excessively cold Or blowing snow
drifts, by leaving doors and windows
open sor several hours. ia tho case
q animals being fed up for tho butch
Oh, &c may rot hc Objectionable Is
tccp them in partial darkness, III
order o. induce them To- Ito down aud
keep Ia state of rest as much US
possible but with al others there
hould be good supply OF light a-
lowed during the greater portion Of
,ha day, and If The COWS can be turn
"a out OF their byrcs by themselves.
lor few hours each fine dav. they
will enjoy better health.
Lastly, we too often see that the
amount of space allowed for winter
quarters to stock is altogether too
small for their comfort yard room,
especially, is often very much cramp-
ed and confined, as if the land on n
form were Of greater value than that
in city. 1t IS better to have yards
Of good size, and, after clearing them
of the winters accumulation OF ma
nure in the spring, plant them with
cabbages, beets, mangels, or carrots,
rcserying only the stable yard for
summer use.
The amount OF stall room allow cd
is often far too small, and the animals
are crowded together in such man
uer as to make them feel anything
but comfortable. Tho idea OF car
pointers and builders, who generally
put up tho stalls, seems to be to mako
them oil Of one uniform size, the di-
mansions Of which are dictated BY
some arbitrary rule or caprice, what
ever il may be called. They do not
Seem 10 think the size of the stalls
should vary, so as to accommodate
sized animals, but that, like
tho bed Of Procrustes, the same space
should lit all Corners
IL seems TO be overlooked that the
stalls or spaces set apart for each
beast may just rs VOL be either all
such . size as to accommodate COM
tortably the largest OK, or be gradu-
atcd in size in order to cconomize
space, and yet each give comforta-
bic space for the animal 10 occupy it,
according rs it is large or small
The more ease and comfort the stock
can obtain when tied up in their
stalls, the more contehted they will
ne, and the better they will thrive.
--CdHad1 Farmer.
as8- The winter protection of choice
plants does not receive as much at
tonuon as ii should. Great numbers
of them are DESTROYED evor,- go. ~,