Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-06
Sheltering Stock In Winter.

In order to ward off the effects of cold,
we provide ourselves with comfortable
clothing in winter Nature has done the
same thing for animals 1t furnishes them
a covering of hair or fur, or has given
them instincts that in measure supply
the want. In some cases where animals
remain semi-torpid, an undercoat Of fat is
supplemented, as in the case of the bear,
raccoon, etc. Swine also acquire fat to
an excessive degree, and their instinct
causes them to lie together for the sake of
mutual warmth.
In order to create heat we eat fat meat
and oily grains in winter, when exposed
to excessive cold. The more northern and
exposed the climate, the more fatty sub
stances are consumed for those sub
stances contain large amounts of carbon,
and carbon is the great heat producer
Therefore when the EsquimauX or Green
landers drink their allowance of train oil,
they are operating on a strictly scientific
principle, only they do not know it; but
the science is apparent, nevertheless.
For the reason that this warmth is
necessary to the animal economy, farm
stock Of every kind in winter crave grains
containing much oily matter. Of these
grains there are none in the West that are
so economical to the farmer as corn; for
this grain contains in an eminent degree
the essentials Of heat, and in fair degree
the essentials Of growth. 1t is poor econ
| Omy, in view of these facts, to let cattle,
horses, sheep, or other farm stock, winter
on the lee side of some bleak hill, in fence
corners or IN the open stock field. For
if veterinary science is good for anything,
it is worth fully as much, if not more, IN
the prevention as in the cure Of disease.
A 10 JoI Il
times would provide them with comtorta-
BILE shelter, ward off disease induced by
exposure and hard fare, and put money in
the pocket Of the farmer, to say nothing
of the comfort of the poor an finals de
pendent entirely on the care of the owner
A plant once stinted while young never
thereafter RECEIVERS its full development
1t is the same with live stock, only in an
intensified degree, and, for the simple rea-
son that the animal is worth more than
| the plant. If the animal or plant is al
lowed to stop growing while young, and
become thoroughly poor, it never thor
Oughly RECEIVERS, however well fed or
cared for thereafter. Our most successful
and money making breeders and feeders
understand that liberal feeding from
younglings to maturity is what insures the
best profits in the end 1t will make
pig as heavy at ten or twelve months as it
would otherwise become at the end of
eighteen months, and the fulfilled steer
will be as heavy at three years old as the
indifferently-fed one will reach at the age
of five Or six years. In the case of horses,
especially valuable ones, there is no ques-
ton of the economy of liberal and con-
tinuous feeding, with diversified food,
from colthoOd up, for in this case the
muscular development of the animal con-
stitutes the principal part of its value.
1t takes certain amount of food to
supply the animal economy, and the waste
is in proportion to the life of the animal.
All over this amount goes to constitute
growth. 1t costs just twice as much to
prolong this waste two years as it does one
year, the animal being of given weight
and the other conditions equal More
carbon is wasted in cold weather than in
mild weather, hence the necessity of con-
serving animal heat by providing good
shelter and quarters. Animals so provi-
ded will be sleek and in good condition,
while those lily fed will have staring coats
and gaunt forms, shivering with cold.
Stablemen understand this thoroughly, es-
pecially those owning fine horses. These
they keep warmly clothed in winter. 1t
is only one Of the means of keeping the
animal in health and preventing waste of
tissue. Too many farmers fail to see this
point. Those who have kept their stock
out of danger heretofore, should try shell
tering stock one winter, especially horses,
| and compare results over former years. 1t
will pay always in money, besides the
satisfaction of knowing that you have
done your duty to the dumb brutes under
your care, for "a merciful man is mercl-
full to his beast" Western Rurdl