Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-02-16
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,
meadow-hay, if we have any, cornstalks,
and best hay. This is cut by horsepower
standing on the barn floor. This occupies
from one to two hours twice n 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 .the fodder will
by this time be impregnated with the taste
of the grain and the aroma of the good
hay. 1t 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 it must be system-is once fairly es-
tablished. The horse power and cutter
will be somewhat expensive to start with,
but with good care both 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 mich COWS through an entire
winter gave us the most gratifying results
The cows yielded more milk, kept in good
condition, and at one-fourth less thar
|
as well as neat stock under such feeding
In order to work on this system, the
barn must be sufficiently warm to preven
the heap that is mixed up from freezing
and this ought to be secured in any case
as an economical measure in the care o
cattle. An old sail-cloth, cast-of woolel
blankets, or any similar material, thrown
over the heap, will greatly tend to preven
freezing.
Another plan, and one that is gainin!
in popularity, is that of steaming foo
for stock.
This process will cost much more for tn
: fixtures necessary to be used, and will re
: quire much more exact care than cuttin
and soaking the fodder. This care, how
ever, will make every pound of food te
1 with the fullest effect in the production {
r meat, milk, or strength. We have visite
2 several farms where the practice of stean
: ing is adopted, found the system approves
5 and the stock looking we'll The produ,
: of milk in the cows was very cOnsiderabl
: increased; the horses were sleek an
s strong and the young cattle with sol
{? loose skins, and having every way thrift
t appearance.-Neao England Farmer.