Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-12-31
MiseellaueoMs.
WINTER FEEDING OF STOCK.

important Just at this season OF the year
than the best and most economical meth
DDS of feeding his cows and other stock.
He is now just at the beginning Of q long
winter. He has certain amount offeed-
ing material stored away, in the shape Of
hay, millet, corn fodder, roots &C., and he
naturally asks himself, ''How can feed
my stock to the best results, as to product,
thrift, health and economyPn
We have at different times devoted con-
siderable space to this important subject,
and to those of our readers who read
our articles carefully last winter It may
seem superHous to allude to IL again;
but there are some, no doubt, to whom
this subject is comparatively new, and to
whom it is always interesting, and never
more so than just at the opening of win
| ter. If we repeat some things that we
said last winter, it is only to give line
upon line and precept upon precept to
those who are not readily Influenced by
what they read to change and improve
their practice in this respect. Many a
farmer who reads that feeding twice day
through the winter is decidedly better than
three times or oftener, is inclined to turn
up his nose at such nonsense, without stop
ing to look at it carefully or to consider
the results as compared with his own loose
and careless method of feeding.
We have good deal of faith in what
we styled last winter the Barre system
Of feeding.' 1t was fully described in an
Essay before the Massachusetts Board Of
Agriculture, by John T. Ellsworth, Esq,
of Barre, then member of the Board,
and may be found on PIP. 263 and 264 of
the last annual report of the Secretary of
the Board. Its popularity consists in part
in feeding but twice day, but each feed
ing is so faithful and systematic that the
animal is fully and completely nourished,
and to secure this result, the morning meal
will usually occupy about two hours and
half and the afternoon meal about an hour
and q half, the time depending little
upon what is fed. If it is all first quality
OF hay it will be consumed in less time
than if part Of it is of a coarse and poor
quality.
Let US look little more carefully at the
Y details of the method of feeding under this
nitnu. for it is by no means matter of
Indifference. Nlr. E{lyVe9ll ~ Nv; a. &C.
poorest quality Of fodder that Nh 10
feed is given first, at the beginning of each
meal, and in the morning, while the cows
are eating this first foddering, begin to
milk. BY the time they have this two
thirds eaten, another foddering is given
them of better quality; and then the
third, which consists of the best hay which
intend to feed, is given as before, or
ljust previous to the finishing of tho Sec
ond foddering. By feeding in this way
the COWS are kept constantly eating, and
will consume all that is placed before
them, leaving nothing eatable in their
manger. then sweep out the mangers
and am ready to feed roots, meal, &c,
which are given Immediately. When
these are eaten begin to water by letting
out only few at time and seeing that
all have a chance to drink, thus allowing
little or no time between eating and drink
ing. The stable is then cleaned aud they
are retured as soon as they have drunk.
They have nothing more to eat until their
afternoon meal, which is commenced at
about halt past two o'clock. by feeding,
watering, &C., the same as in the morn
ing, with the exception Of the roots and
meal, which are all given at one time, and
that in the morning. / milk at night after
watering. Nothing is fed after watering,
either morning or evening"" This con-
tains the pth of the whole system, but it
will bear close examination.
In the first place, every farmer who fol-
lows the most common and careless meth
DDS OF feeding, just when it happens, a
little now and then, another little the next
time he passes that way. knows how diff.
cult it is to get his cattle to drink when
they are let out at this season of the year,
and he waits and waits, hating to tie them
up to stand all day or night and suffer
from thirst. The trouble IS, that he wait
ed after feeding till they had begun to
chew the cud before giving them a chance
to drink. Under this system of Mr.. Ellis
worth's there will be no need of waiting.
cow will drink heartily Just after she
has eaten full meal of dry fodder IL she
does not first get to work in chewing her
cud, and for that reason when the choicest
bit, the dessert, of her meal is fully fin
ished she ought to be let out to drink be-
fore she settles down into the most impor-
tant business of her life, the grinding I'D
of her food in preparation for its diges-
ton. This plan, therefore, secures most
important point, the taking into her sys-
fem in large and copious SUPPLY of wa.
ter, without which it is useless to expect
much milk Mass. PloughmGn.