Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-14
WINTER CARE OF STOCK.

II is best always to begin winter feed
early, saving the meadows and pastures not
only what they afford as protection and an
early start in the spring, but to prevent
trampling, which is more serious than is
generally supposed. The rains will not
hurt but benefit the grass lands; the stock
will hurt it materially, especially cattle, and
they are also more influenced by the
weather. A mich COW in the rain, and
with snow melting upon her! How often
Is this inhuman treatment seen! Is 1t a
wonder that COWS fall off in milk, and sink
in flesh? The difference is seen at once.
Pass through the country, aud it will be
found that this prevails to great extent.
This is brutal, this wretched neglect.
If there are stables, Iciy not have the
COWS in them as well as out in the rain, or
in the chilly air? Is it really laziness, OF
habit? or what is it? There is q scarcity OF
fee& yet suffering in every storm is so
much food thrown away, not measured, or
it might have an effect thus seen.
And are our stables better than outdoors?
We are constrained from what we see to
ask this question. Cattle we have known
to refuse to enter their stalls, while others
have begged for entrance. Rigid contne-
ment, hard, uneven floor Eve have seen
it frequently, with wallowing in the slush
of the stable, and then exposed to the shiv-
ering, freezing cold-the stable being nearly
as cold as the air withOut-with no chance
to escape, but having to stand to it-this is
not encouraging to COW, and COW IN
| milk at the time! Better feed in the open
air subject to the inclemency Of the wealth
/ er. Both are disgrace to any farmer.
| a warm shed, open at one place large
| enough for ingress and egress, is better
! place for stock than is generally thought by
/ rigid disciplinarians, who favor the contine-
ment system. We can bring to mind not
| few cases where a shed, closely boarded and
1 ceiled, with fodder overhead, the opening
! TO the east or south, afforded comfort that
! Il is a pleasure to think of The place was
warm, made warmer by the stock, soft
! bedded. and well aired (by the entrance)
without over-much circulation; thus com
/ Portable In the coolest weather, and in
storms of course a perfect protection. But
your stock must not be crowded. We have
! had occasion, in our earlier experience, TO
! separate the most unruly members, and thus
! found ali peaceable and harmonious. Racks
| for feeding were provided along the inside
| OF the whole building, giving plenty of space,
/ "a the whole shed was thus arranged. There
| dung, and this removed as required-a
compost heap thus being made which saved
well the substance of the manure, and con-
verted readily the straw into the same. In
this way stock were kept clean, healthy and
in good condition. Early, when storms pre-
! vailed, they were brought to the barn, and
at once knew their place and took advan-
tage of it, and no labor, no trouble, only to
| feed, carry the stalks and the chaff and the
best straw to the rack. Here also pump
kins were feed.
On the opposite side of the barn was the
sheen shed, similar to the one for cattle, a
! success in every respect. And here the
sheen were orou ght when the equinoctial
and other storms came on, and they were
| kept as summer made them, with plenty OF
good clover hay and other small feed, clover
not being cut then as now (when III bloom,)
with all its substance available, and thus
being sufficient as a sole feed, but still when
| yet green.
Calves, like sheep and cows, should be by
themselves. Give them warmer stables. OF
course give them the freedom of the place,
as there is no danger of their hurting one
another. They will thrive on tender hay
and pure water alone, if they are not previ-
ously kept out and pelted by the storms. If
lacking in flesh, little meal, barley
and oats mixed is excellent, and will
soon get up activity AMI roundness of flesh
Keep the calves grOOiRg throughout the
winter.
Have we advised the shed system? We
have presented it. The negligent farmer,
if he adopts it, viii do so with advantage
with decided advantsge-and so viii the
advocate of extreme confinement, where
the discomforts, as we have mentioned, are
greater than the exposure of the free sky.
Let us reason; let us consider brute an
animal, akin to Us in its wants, as 1t is, and
than let Us work from principles.