Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-03-04
farm and ganseApId,
salt and Ashes for Domestic Animals

salt and Ashes for Domestic Animals
The subject of the use of salt Tor do
nestle animal has been discussd by
many a pen. While there arc yet
thoao who argue that salt is not need
full for animals, | must dissent and
wholly disapproVe Of their reason
ings T; others may rear their stock with
out salt and they may do well, but
from my own experience of over iity
wears, 1 shall continue the use Of IT,
and instead of piecihg it out to my
stock az | used to in years gone by,
will give them all they desire my
rule is, not to see how long a barrel
of salt will last, but tossee how quick
nv stock will consume it. Here, let
me say that alt alone does well tor
all gaiuivef6us and herbiverous ami
mails: this nature evidently requires
ii not for their good, why is il that a
colt, cali, or lamb, even if but a few
DAYS old, relish il, and at the first cat
ing like it 30 well:
Nature has also furnished another
Ingredient besides salt. for the health
and appetite of animals, in the shape
of alkalies: ashes supply this want.
, Often when a boy, | have see cattle
and sheep at where brush and log
heaps were burned, engaged IN lex
ing ashes with Il perfect relish; evil
IDENTIFY, they wanted something to
regulate their digestive powers. l
have known some 30 needy Tor
something to regulate their stomacEs,
that tLey would eat a handful OF good
clean ashes as quickly a. a handful OF
oats. or leave the latter and eat the
former first,
some say that dairy cows cat 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 cat too much
a burning fever is the consequence.
{ they want it when they want II, nc
more, no less.
10 arrange TIL, for their convent
ence. my practice is to have bon
troughs so arranged that all can have
free access to salt or asheS--toe eat anc
, be satisfied ashes from green, or a
!, least sound wood. only should be used
! For sheep, a trough three or four fee
long, and eight or ten inches wide
: nailed Two feet from the ground, un
, der the she'd, is large. enough for an!
/ number of sheep, as but few will ca
} at a time for cattle, a wider one /
necessary for horses, every mango.
, should have a small box just larg,
| enough to admit the horses nose, fast
, ened directly over the feed boz, il
, which is Il constant supply OF salt ant
/ ashes, In pastures where there is N,
t shed or other building under whicl
: the trough or box can be placed t,
avoid the waste by storms, set tw'
, posts of some six feet long, firmly il
| the ground, two feet apart at each ent
f otthe trough or box at the top of tn
posts spike a piece of tWo-inch plank
after being cut in roof form: upo.
these spike two wide plank. lormin
The cover OF roof the trough is fast
cned to the posts some two feet trol
the ground the roof will be so 10y
! that no animal will attempt to jun
: the trough under the roof here hay
0 a safe place to keep Il supply Of 81.
q and ashes all the time--rain or shine
Or, if a movable bon is desired, n
/ Liangc ii OH something like a stOn
beat, and move it from field to field
: it should always follow the cattle.
!. The many herds Of cattle kept on OF
:, prairies in summer were supplied /
J this way. there would be less ramblin,
= more contcntment and more bee
. From my own experience, ] beliye Thu
a barrel of good ashes is equal in yaIr
to a barrel of salt, equal parts beil
d used as food. | believe that hos
need a supply of salt and ashes
much as any other animals, and
d they had had a constant supply Il
Is ways accessible, the ''hog chOler;
would not have been known.
q ! have never known a horse 10 ha'
y the cholic. bots, or worms. nor bccol
a "cribber" when a box of salt al
v ashes was ever in reach in his sail.
4 Pyutric EuiMer.