Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25
Cooked Food fer Cows.

4Ac dIV0 0JOch Journal Says:
The following statement of Mr.. VIM.
Birnie, OF Springfield, Mass, has great
force, having been continued for so
long period with a result so sotisfac-
tory. LII recent letter to us he saws
still continue to steam the feed for
my stock, as I have done for more
than fourteen years, and every year
confirms more strongly my convictions
OF the great economy in food. "a we'll
as the comfort and thrifty growth of
the cattle. For mich COWS its o1van-
tages can not be too strongly ureeil.
The saving is fully 80 per cent.
EFFECT UPON HEALTH.
have seen the question raised az to
the effect Of cooked food upon the
health of the animals. can only saw.
as to this point, that I have q number
Of COWS, from seventeen years old and
downwarts, that have never been fed
III any other way, except during the
season Of green iced, while they are
now in perfect health aud vigor. It is
not, perhaps, too much to say that no
more Healthy stock of COWS eau oe
found than myherd of about fiftv head.
which has had the cooked diet for so
many years. This system enables NC
to get as good yields of milk in winter
rs IN summer, with the quality excel
lent.
BARN AND sTEAafINd APPARATUS.
My barn is built on a side hill, and is
three stories high in some parts. The
floor OF the principal story. is on level
with the ground on the highest side,
and is used for storing hay, grain, etc
The story below opens Oh the barnyard
and IS used for stables, and the part
under ground for root cellar. Under
his is manure cellar eight feet deep.
In the stable story is located nv appa-
ratus for steaming. NY boiler is an
upright tubular, OF about the capacity
OF four horses, situated in the corner
OF this story, under the ground, IN
room about ten feet square. The chin
ncy is built of brick Oh the outside, and
extends about six feet above the roof.
The steam box in which the cooking is
done Is built Of brick and extends to the
story above. 1t is lined with two inch
plank, tong1ed and grooved, six feet
square inside and eight feet deep. will,
lid the Whole size of the tor, and
opening ON Il level with the floor above.
1t has door four feet square on ono
side near the bottom. out of which the
feed il taken. Pho steam pine RIM.
directly from the boiler to the steam
box, extends around the four sides and
across tue middle, some six inches
above the bottom. This pipe, inside
the box, is perforated with small holes
for the escape Of the steam. A cask
holding two hundred gallons is conven-
icntly located at one side and over
the Steam box, which, by a pipe. is
kept full Of water for wet
ting the. feed and filling the boiler.
The fodder is cut by horse power.
shovcled into the steam box, mixed
with bran, or whatever is fed with it.
and we'll wet. The fire is first started
under the boiler, and then the: fodder
i" cut while tue steam is getting MP. r
Gully steam twice per week, finding that
the feed will keep warm three days in
winter; this saves much labor and
fuel. My plan has usually been to feed
steamed ratlons morning and evening,
with dry hay ut noon. This counter.
acts all tendency to looseness. 1 use
"h"nt three tons OF coal for the seasons
c'"HlnE. a change from cooked to dry
lood Tor IL single day has sometimes
caused Il marked shrinkage in milk.