Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-12-18
Feeding Straw and Meal.


Some time since, In view of the fact
that the hay crop in many sections of
the West would be light, the Western
Rural advised the saving of straw, stalks
and other rough forage to supply its
place. Cattle and horses will winter on
well-cured corn-fodder fully as well as
they will on the best timothy hay, if they
are supplied in such liberal quantities that
they are obliged to consume the blades
and husks. This is so we'll known, how
ever, that it is not necessary to mention
it except incidentally. It is not so we'll
known that the entire stalk except the
butts may be economically fed, if cut and
mixed with little meal, bran or other
ground feed. ~s
The cutting of fodder and mixing with
ground grain, or feeding this mixture in
combination with cut or pulped roots, is
a question that must be decided by each
individual farmer for himself The aver
age Western farmer will not find it profit
able to raise roots of any kind for fatten-
ing stock, for the simple reason that corn
caI be raised much more cheaply-that
is, pound of meat can be made more
cheaply from corn than it can be from
roots of any kind. Nevertheless, many
feeders are SO well convinced of the sani-
tary value of roots as a partial food in
winter that they raise considerable guam
titles for this reason. This class, we
think, it will pay to pulp the ROOTS and
feed mixed, with cut hay or straw and
meal, especially since animals sometimes
get choked even with cutroots. For this
reason we give the best plan we know
for preparing the feed in this manner.
For cattle, the straw, or whatever for
age it may be, should be cut longer than
for horses, not less than one and half
inches, and it is better that the mess be
mixed long enough before it is fed SO
that the whole mess becomes uniformly
moist. If peck of roots are to be fed
daily, two quarts of the daily mess of
meal may be omitted, although our expe-
rience is that the animal, in addition to
the roots, will consume and assimilate
the ordinary quantity of meal that they
would use without the roots and for
this reason: The roots assist in keeping
the stomach and bowels of the animal in
a healthy condition. Besides roots, ap-
pies, pumpkins and squashes may be fed,
either wet or pulped, as economy may
direct. So much for the feeding of roots
wherever their cultivation may be profit
! able. s-s
At present prices of hay and grain,
and more particularly east of the Missis-
sippi River, it will pay to feed the grain
In ground state, and, if it be an object
to feed straw in the place of hay, then
it will undoubtedly pay to cut the straw
and mix with the meal. If the animals
are fattening, at present prices it will
pay to cut and mix with the grain either
hay or straw, for only so much rough
feed should be given as will properly dis
tend the stomach-which distensiOn is
necessary to the performance of it's func-
tions. To each ANIMAL steer or horse
about an ounce of salt should be mixed
| in the food daily. If corn fodder is
| plenty less straw need be used in the
mess, only enough to divide the mass,
and a sufficient quantity may be given
in the racks to supply the omission and
keep the animals amused.
We are we'll aware that the great r3a-
jority of animals in the West are fattened,
and will continue for years so to be, on
whole grain, with such quantity of fod-
der as the feeder may think proper. AS
we have frequently said, this question of
relative economy in feeding must be de-
cided by the individual feeder for himself
When power can be applied on the farm
to the grinding of grain, and cutting OF
rough feed, and the pumping of water,
or even the two latter, there are very
many feeders who, with proper shelter,
would find money in this system of feed
ing, for it is undeniably true that, by
this plan, animals can be made absolutely
fat, and economically where the facilities
are at hand.
Prime beeves will now bring seven
dollars per 100 pounds, and those ripe
enough for prize cattle or Christmas
beef will bring eight dollars to ten dol
lars per 100 pounds. While it takes
great labor and time to make this latter
class, really prime or extra cattle are not
difficult to bring up-and, since the diff
ference between the price of good beeves
five dollars-and the price of extra
ones amounts to twenty weight dollars on
a steer weighing 400 pounds, those who
have facility for so fattening them will
easily see that it will pay, especially
when the relative price of grain is high.
Western RuqdB. IA sat @s