Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-12-01
Care of stock.

Winter is approaching, and in the
course of the next month will be open
upon US with all its rigors and seventies.
The prudent farmer will see to the comfort
Of his stock, before the cold weather sets
IN. Warmth and shelter to farm stock
during inclenent wether is next to food,
TO say nothing Of humanity. The farmer
who allows his horses to be kept in stables
that are open and exposed, snd through
which drafts of cold air are continually
passing, need not be surprised to find his
animals suffering from disease, during the
winter, and more especially in the spring,
that not unfrequently result in their death
AID always in the impairing of their
usefulness. ~ '.e
One of the sights that sometimes meet
our eyes, as we pass along by farm houses
and barns in winter, is the stock scattered
over the meadows and fields in the neigh
borhood of the barnyard they are turn
ed out to drink from some brook or spr-
ing that happens to be in some field more
or less distant, because their owner has
no way provided for watering them in the
yards. Now we contend that the place
for cattle in winter is the barnyard, and
not outside Of it; they are better off there,
and their owner is better off to have them
there. besides, we know from our own ex-
perience, that it is much easier to take
care of stock when they have water in the
yard. and also that their wants are much
better supplied than they otherwise could
be.
Cows at this season, for various causes,
are known to diminish 10 their flow of milk
and although some farmers give them
little feed, night and morning, it is not SO
common practice as it ought to be-
After giving milk all summer, the dimin-
ished production of mich COW is owing
to somewhat exhausted constitution, as
we'll as to the usual shortness of food in
the fall. The animal health requires
somewhat more than watery or frosted
pastures, and we have found great advan-
tage in giving occasionally little soft hay
once day, which is eaten with great
relish, and also two quarts morning and
evening of mixed bran and middlings.
bran and corn-meal or bran with an equal
proportion of good corn and oats. 50
small quantity as this, in addition to
pasture, often produces great results. 1t
is much cheaper and easier to keep cow
in good thriving condition, than to recover
her from an exhausted one.
It is almost the universal practice in
this country to let sheep run in the pas
lures until they are covered with snow.
and necessity compels them to the dry
hay. The change from grass to hay in
this sudden way is always accompanied
with loss. Indeed the loss begins some
times before the change. when the frosts
turn the grass, and it loses its sweetness.
The feed depreciates in quantity as we'll
as in quality, and it is thought the focks
are doing we'll enough as long as there is
blade Of grass to be seen. The wool ia
some measure conceals the condition Of
the flesh. and the loss is not detected as
soor as in the horse or OK. But it very
soon appears after they enter winter
quarters. This neglect is very bad hus-
bandry, for it uses up the grain which
the sheep have made upon the flush feed
of Summer, and brings them to the yard
with decreased stamina.
Now, as rule, we hold that no one
should keep more stock of any kind than
he has comfortable shelter for. There
may be exceptions where there is dense
body of timber in which stock may range;
but even then it would be far better to
provide good shelter for them, for the
timber does not protect them, from the
cold rains and sleet of this latitude. which
are much harder on them than the severe
cold or the piercing winds.-American
Stock Journal