The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-03-04
farm and 9pasfllold.


The subject Of the use of salt for do
mestic animals has been discIssd by
many a pen. While there are yet
those who argue that salt is not need
fuI for animals, l must dissent and
wholly disapprove of their reason.
ings others may rear their stock with
out salt aud they may do well, but
from my own experience of over fifty
years, shall continue the use of it,
and instead of piecing it out to my
stock as ! Used to i'm years gone by,
will give them all they desire; my
rule is, not to sec how long barrel
of salt will last, but to see how quick
my stock will consume it. Here, let
me say that salt alone does well for
all gfainiver6us and herbiverous ami
mails; this nature evidently requires !;
if not for their good, why is il that a
colt, calf, or lamb, even if but few
days old, relish it, and at the first cat
ing like il so well?
Nature has also furnished another
ingredient besides salt, for the health
and appetite of animals, in the shape
of alkalics; ashes supply this want.
Often when boy, l have seen cattle
and sheep at where brush and log
heaps were burned, engaged in lick
ing ashes with perfect relish; evil
IDENTIFY, they wanted something to
regulate their digestive powers. l
have known some so needy for
something TO regulate their stomacEs,
that they would eat a handful of good
clean ashes as quickly as handful of
oats, or leave the latter and cat the
former first.
Some say that dairy cows eat too
much salt, that it checks the flow of
milk for days; true, but this is no ar
gument against the use of it; so with
horses and sheep, if they have done
without it too long, they eat too much,
burning fever is the consequence,
they want it when they want it, no
more, no less.
To arrange this for their convent
ence, my practice is to have box
troughs so arranged that all can have
free access to salt or ashes-to eat and
be satisfied ashes from green, or at
least sound wood, only should be used.
For sheep, trough three or four feet
long, and eight or ten inches wide,
nailed two feet from the ground, UNI
der the shed, is large enough for any
number of sheep, as but few will eat
at time; for cattle, wider one is
necessary; for horses, every manger
should have small box just large
enough TO admit the horses nose, fast
cned directly over the feed box, in
which is a constant supply of salt and
ashes. In pastures where there is no
shed or other building under which
the trough or box can be placed to
avoid the waste by storms, set two
posts of some six feet long, firmly i'm
the ground, two feet apart at each end
of the trough or box at the top of the
posts spike piece of two-inch plank,
after being cut in roof form; upon
these spike two wide planks forming
the cover Or roof; the trough is fast
cned 10 the posts some two feet from
the ground; the roof will be so low
that no animal will attempt to jump
the trough under the roof; here have
a safe place to keep a supply of salt
and ashes all the time-rain OF shine.
Or, if movable box is desired, ar
iange it on something like stone
boat, and move it from field TO field
it should always follow the cattle. If
The many herds of cattle kept OIL our
prairics in summer were supplied in
this way, there would be less rambling,
more contentment and more beef.
From my own experience, belive that
, barrel of good ashes is equal in value
10 barrel of salt, equal parts being
Used as food. ! believe that hogs |
need supply of salt and ashes as
much as any other animals, and if
hey had h.d constant supply al
ways accessible, the ''hog cholera
would not have been known.
| have never known horse to have |
he cholic, bots, or worms, nor become |
| ''cribber" when a box of salt and |
lshes was ever in reach i'm his s,all.--
Prairie Farmer.