Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-08
" inter Feeding Of Stock.

coined 10 this department Of the WAtcngAN.
" inter Feeding of Stock.
To the dairy farmer no subject is more
important Just at this season Of the year
than the best and most economical methods
Of feeding his cows and other stock. lie
is now just at the beginning Of long win
ter lie has a certain amount OF feeding
material stored away, in the shape of hay,
millet, corn fodder, roots, etc, aud he nat
urally asks himself, d" How can feed my
stock to the beat advantage, all things con.
sidered2 How can | feed them so as to
produce the best results, as to product,
thrift, health and economy ?"
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
superhuous to allude to it again; but there
are some, no doubt, to whom this subject is
comparatively new, and to whom it is al
ways interesting, and never more SO than
just at the opening OF winter II we re-
peat some things that we said last winter,
it is only to give line upon line and precept
upon preoept to those who are not readily
influenced by what they read to change aud
improve their practice in this respect.
Many farmer who reads that feeding
twice day through the winter is decidedly
better than three times or oitener, is in-
clined to turn up his nose at such nonsense,
without stopping to look at it carefully, or
to consider the results as compared with
his own loose and careless method OF feed
ing.
We have a good deal Of faith in what we
sty led last winter the Barre system Of
feeding" 1t was fully described in an
essay before the Mass. Board Of Agricul.
ture, by John 4. Ellsworth, Esq, Of Barre,
then member Of the Board, and may be
found on PIP. 263 and 264 of the last an.
nual Report Of the Secretary of the Board.
Its popularity consists in part in feeding
but twice a day, but each feeding is so
faithful and systematic that the animal is
fully and completely nourished, and to Sc
cure this result, the morning meal will
usually occupy about two hours and half,
the time depending little upon what is
fed. II it is all first quality Of hay it will
be consumed in less time than if a part Of
it is Of coarse and poor quality.
Let us look little more carefully at
the details of the method Of feeding under
this system, for it is by no means matter
Of Indifference. Mr. Ellsworth says "The
poorest quality of fodder that l wish to
feed is given first, at the beginning of each
meal, and in the morning, while the cows
are eating this first fodderiDg | begin to
milk. BY the time they have this two
thirds eaten, another ioddering 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 just
previous TO the finishing Of the second tod
dering. By feeding in this way the cows
are kept constantly eating, and will con-
sumo all that is placed before them, leaving
nothing eatabe in their manger then
sweep out the hangers and am ready to
feed roots meal, &c, which are given i'm
mediately. When these are eaten begin
to water by letting out only a few at a
time and seeing that all have-a chance to
drink thus allowing little or no time be-
tween eating and drinking. The stable is
then cleaned and they are returned as soon
as they have drunk. They have nothing
more to eat until their afternoon meal, which
is commenced at about half-past two o'clock,
by feeding, watering, &c, the same as in
the morning, with the exception of the
roots and meal, which are all given at one
time, aud that in the morning. milk at
night after watering. Nothing is fed after
watering, either morning or evening" This
contains the pith 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, little
now and then, another little the next tint
he passes that way, knows how difficult il
is to get his cattle to drink when they ar,
let out at this season of the year, and h'
waits and waits, hating to tie them up t
stand all day or night and suffer from thirst
The trouble is, that he waited after feed
ing till they had begun to chew the cud be
fore giving them chance to drink. Unde
this system of Mr.. Elworths there will b
no need Of waiting A COW will drinl
heartily just after she has eaten a full mea
of dry fodder if she does not FIRST get B
work in chewing her cud, aud for that rea
son when the choicest bit, the dessert, Q
her meal is fully finished, she ought to b
let out to drink before she settles down int
the most important business Of her life, tn
grinding up of Der food in preparation fc
its digestion. This plan, therefore, secure
a most important point, the taking into he
system a large and copious supply of waite
without which it is useless to expect muc
milk Massachusetts, Ploughman.