Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-24
agricultural.
Care of Cattle.

1t will pay the farmer TO take good care of
his stock through the winter. There should
be No excuse Tor neglecting this important
work or for doing it imEerfectly. 1t will
not do to justify this neglect by affirming
that there is no income derived from stock
in winter, and that in Consequence it will
not pay to be spending any more time and
labor than Is absolutely necessary to get
along with. We think this argument will
not hold coed, if thoroughly examined. or
prove profitable if put in practice. 1t is
true there is little income to be derived from
our stock in winter, yet much of the profit
OF the following season will depend upon our
management now. We will take two dai-
ries of cows for illustration. One Is regu-
larly fed and watered and taken good care
Of generally. and as spring arrives they are
IN Zoe condition, ready TO make ample return
for the liberal treatment received. The other
dairy Is wIntered as cIeaply as possible, the
main point being to get through the winter
with the least possible amount OF time, labor
and fodder. As consequence the COWS are
poor when they commence to give milk and
the profit at this season of the year is small
as compared with the the other. When
these cows come to grass they are so thin and
run down that it will take at least half OF
the summer, the best part of the season, to
get back what has been lost through bad
management In winter. We think that any
one can see, if so disposed, that the differ
ence in the dairies managed thus must be
very great, and that the superior returns of
the first will more than pay for the extra
trouble incurred in keeping.
The present winter will be trying one to
farmers. The season for feeding stock COM
menced earlier than usual, and a large
amount Of fodder has been used up previous
to the first OF December. withstanding
considerable stock has been disposed of, yet
there will not probably be surplus of hay,
and many farmers will feed sparingly.
1t will do to be economical, so far as not
feeding more than the cattle will eat up
clean, if the fodder is worth feeding at ali =,
and trying to make up tor a little deficiency
of hay by extra care and attention, but the
pinchin9 process should not be resorted to, il
possible to avoid it, as it is a losing business
in the end. 1t is better for farmer not to
undertake to winter more stock than he has
resources for keeping well. Not only are
COWS well taken care Of through the winter
far more profitable than those half kept, bur
the same rule will apply to young stoce
Calves and yearllngs should be kept growins
through the winter, and not allowed to stand
still. Tuey should not be kept on poor fod-
der, but have the best of hay, and in add.
ton little meal or roots. 1he last We find
of much value for calves, keeping them IN
good health and vigOr. Most farmers have
heifers commence giving milk when two
years old, and Tor this purpose they should
have extra care and keeping, to sustain the
great drain that is being made upon the
system.
Very many farmers do not bed their stock
We think this is a mistake. Where beddeC
the animals are made more comfortable, are
cleaner, presenting a much better appear
ance and what is of equal consequence,
considerable addition is made to the manure
heap.
Of course with large farmers this will in
volve some labor and good deal of material
but in what way will there be more satisfac
tory returns to those who are striving to en-
rich their farms.
We think that wheat straw should b
used Tor this purpose instead OF being fed t
stock, aud il sawdust is accessible, this wi
be found an excellent material for the pul
pose; indeed, we prefer it to straw, as
keeps the stock cleaner and the manure
lees bulky. Ii the sawdust can be secure
In season so to be dried, it will be wort
more, as it will soak up larger quantity c
urine.
Some farmers will keep quite number
pigs through the winter to make way wit
the mix OF the dairy the next summer, an
just keep them along so that in spring the
are no heavier than at the commencement
winter. This is bad policy. Better gi,
the feed to one half the number and get
much weight in the end. Young stock of a
kinds, should be kept thrifty and CROWN
through the winter, and loss of time al
feed will be saved In the end We mott
that now and then farmer is in the hat
OF letting bis COWS run out of doors most
the time during the day, whatever Il
weather may be. This practice will
found Improbable if good stables are flu
nished, as they should be. We would n
advise COWS or young stock being kept
stables Tor days and weeks t,getber, but tn
should not be left out-o-doOrs more than
hour or two each day, unless in mild weat
er. We trust that the first duty OF farmt
this winter will be to take good care of tn,
stock; this should take precedence of t
labor of the farm, and where faithfully .,
formed, we think will be fully appreciat
another spring, in the more satisfactory CO
dition of the same.