Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-12-06
Care of Stock In Winter.

The cool north winds of the past few
DAYS remind us that winter is approach
ing, and farm stock will soon need shelter.
Very many otherwise good farmers allow
their animals to remain in the open yard
or field during the entire winter, without
the least protection from cold storms, and
instead of being ashamed of such cruel
neglect they boast of it, and try to make
themselves believe they are practicing
economy in not giving their stock proper
care. There is no locality in these United
States the climate of which is so mild that
shelter for animals in winter is not re-
quired, both for their comfort and health.
In some portions of Texas, and further
West, there is little cold weather, even
during the winter months, but cold rains
occur quite frequently, and animals suffer
almost as much from them as they do
from snow storms in more nothern To-
calities.
Of course, Gland agents" in all new
countries will talk nonsense on this sub
iect, declaring that the climate is so mild
that cattle remain out on the Grange" all
winter and subsist upon the wild grasses
which are always abundant, but as soon
as these gertlemen's occupation is gone
and they leave for other localities, the
climate suddenly becomes colder, and
cattle begin to require shelter and food
during winter. Every one of the Western
States has passed through these various
stages of climatic change, but in theory
only, and now animals in all these States
require most thorough protection and
careful feeding during winter. Colo
present the stock raiser's paradise;
cho1f fhon hot
which nature provides in great abund-
ance is required; that is, if we are to be-
lieve the stories of those who have land
to sell but the latitude of these Terri
tories, with their well-known elevation
and exposure to cold winds, is proof
enough that the climate is a severe one,
and if animals are left to shift for them
selves their lot is hard one indeed.
The fearful loss of life of domestic ami
mails last winter upon the plains should
teach their owners a useful lesson, and
make tlem prepare both shelter and food
for their stock before they are likely to
require either. A shelter make of prairie
sods is far better than none; in fact, a
good warm stable can be made of such
materials, and we are sure that there are
thousands of animals in the Western
States and Territories which will not be
provided with even such poor quarters
during the approaching winter. If we
lay aside all other cnnsidnratinns except
tlat or economy, we must still see that
shelter and good care in winter will re-
suit in greater profits than the reverse !;
because, if our animals do pass through
the cold months without becoming
diseased, they will certainly lose flesh
which requires time in the spring for it's
restoration, and this is SO much loss. Of
course, the half-wild breeds so abundant
in the Western States will pick up a liv-
ing where the improved and most valua-
BILE breeds would suffer more OF less
severely, but improvements in stock can
never take place until an improved system
of feeding and care is introduced.
The first thing to be learned is how to
properly care for our common breeds,
after which the change to better ones will
be so slight that success is almost certain.
The higher grades of Attorneys, Short
Horns, and similar breeds rust receive
the best of care, or they will soon show
it, and the negligent farmer will find that
pure improved breeds are little better
than the most common mongrels. I'm
proved breeds of animals are very much
the same as improved varieties of plants,
requiring excellent care to produce the
best results. We are not to suppose by
this that they are more tender or liable to
disease than wildings, but being more
thoroughly domesticated they belong to
higher order and require treatment &C
cordingly. A man who expects his COWS
to give large quantity of rich milk dur
ing winter must see the reasonablcness of
the demand for warm stable, as well as
rich and nutritious food. The ANIMALS
must also have plenty of water, and it is
not economy to compel them to go half a
mile or more through snow banks, and in
the coolest weather, to procure it. If