Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-02-17
Cutting the Fodder and Steaming
Food.

OUR own practice in preparing feed for
thirty head of stock-one half being
horses lis to cut all the fodder, straw,
meadowhay, if we have any, cornstalks,
and best hay. This is cut by horsepower
standing Oh the barn floor. This occupies
from one to two hours twice a week, to
cut enough for the thirty head of stock.
A portion of this mass, enough for feed
ing twenty four hours, is spread upon the
barn floor, sprinkled with water a very lit
tie salt, and strewed with such grain as is
used; this is principally shorts. The heap
stands twelve hours, is then thoroughly
turned over and remains twelve hours
more, when it is ready to be fed out. If
the barn in which the heap is made is
moderately warm one, all tthe fodder will
by this time be impregnated with the taste
OF the grain and the aroma of the good
hay. II will also be softened, so as to be
easily masticated by the animals and they
will eat the whole with great relish. Or,
if any be left, it will be only Joints of
corn stalks, which are not softened, or
| some coarse plants of woody fibre. A
heap thus prepared should always be kept
on hand, so that each heap may stand at
! least twenty-four hours.
| These details may seem to require slow
| irksome, and somewhat expensive process
as TO the time required. But they will not
be found so in practice when the system
| for il must be system--is once fairly es-
tablished. The horse power and cutter
| will be somewhat expensive to start with,
but with good care botl will last for many
years. Where thirty or forty head of stock
are to be fed, we have no doubt the cost of
of both would be saved by their use in
two or three years.
! If the stock consists of ten or fifteen
head, only, good hand hay cutter will
answer the purpose, and the horse power
may be dispensed with.
! In our winters there are many days too
! inclemant for outdoor labor, and these
may be occupied in the barn in cutting
the fodder and storing it away in empty
spaces for use when mild weather calls
the help into the field or forest
An ample experience for many years
conveniences us that stock can be kept
enough cheaper to more than pay the cost
of labor in preparing the fodder, and that
it will perform more labor, produce more
milk or gain more in growth, than it will
if fed on the coarse food. An experiment
with twelve milch cows through an entire
winter gave us the most gratifying results
I The cows yielded more milk, kept in good
'condition, and at one-fourth less than
when fed in the usual way. Horses thrive
as well as neat stock under such feeding
In order to work on this system, the
barn must he sufficiently warm to prevent
the heap that is mixed up from freezing
and this ought to be secured in any case
as an economical measure in the care OF
cattle. An old sail-cloth, cast-of wooleI
blankets, or any similar material, thrown
over the heap, will greatly tend to prevent
freezing
Another plan, and one that is gaining
in popularity, is that of steaming foot
for stock.
This process viii cost much more fortht
fixtures necessary to be used, and will re
quire much more exact care than cutting
and soaking the fodder. This care, how
ever, will make every pound of food tel
with the fullest effect in the production o
meat, milk, OF strength. We have visiteC
. several farms where the practice of steam
ing is adopted, found the system approved
and the stock looking well. The produc
of milk in the COWS was very considerabl.
increased; the horses were sleek anC
strong and the young cattle with soft
loose skins, and having every way thrift.
appearance-Neo England Farmer.