Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-15
Spring Management or Animals.

SPRING is a critical time for all farm
stock that have been wintered in stables
unless care is used between the time
when grass begins to start and that sea-
son when feed is flush and the weather
settled. Many farmers care for their an
imals during the winter with the greatest
assiduity, giving them plenty Of feed
and water, and warm stables; but, never
theless, as soon as grass comes, turn them
out to shift for themselves, allowing
them to lie out of nights, and often
during the severe storms so prevalent in
spring. The consequence is, such cattle,
and especially horses, contract diseases,
and often the foundation is laid for disa-
bility through life.
The remedy is entirely simple and
ought to suggest itself to every man who
cares for stock. Stable them as careful
ly every night as you would have done
during the winter and until the weather
is settled, and thereafter stable them
storm. This should invariably be done
with horses and colts. Cattle are not so
liable to injury and may be left free some
time sooner If they have sheds TO lie un-
der, the roofs Of which are waterproof.
Sheep should never be exposed to driv-
ing storms, for although the fleece does
not wet through easily, when it does be.
come wet it is long time In drying, and
If, being wet, another storm occurs be-
fore the place is dry, II again accumu-
lates moisture, and much more easily
than before, 80 the sheep are kept cold,
uncomfortable and liable TO disease.
Another reprehensible practice with
many who depend upon English works
for information is trimming the hair OF
the pasterns and fetlocks Of farm.horses,
early in the spring, to prevent the accu-
mutation of mud thereon and TO save
washing when the teams are brought in
from labor. This would be no evil, or,
at most, no serious one, If the heels of
the horse so trimmed were well washed
upon being brought into the stable, and
then wiped and rubbed dry; but this is
so seldom done in farmers stables that it
is the exception and not the rule. Where
ii is carefully practiced there is but lit
tie need of trimming, except with very
long-haired animals, since the act Of
washing the heels and legs, and rubbing
them thoroughly dry, reduces the length
of the hair, and keeps II short and thin
enough
Let US look at this subject for mo-
ment Take, for instance, an animal
clipped all over, as Is often practiccd
with pleasure horses In city stables The
horse is sweated. perhaps. Now, II left
TO stand In the wind, without blankets,
the consequence Is apt TO be severe
cold, or perhaps some inhammatory dis.
ease attacks the system. Let him stand
in the wind without sweating, and he
soon begins to SILVER. WhyY
In the one case evaporation goes on
swiftly; and in just proportion TO the
force of the evaporation will the tenn
perature Of the body be lowered. The
pores Of the skin close and the animal,
If not taken dangerously sick, suffers ex-
cessive inconvenience. IL the animal be
not heated with work the force Of the
wind or the extremity Of the cold carries
away the heat Of the body faster than
the vital energy Of the body can supply
it, and thus another source OF danger
ensues. If the animal be clothed suf.
ficiently warm when standing, whether
in the street or the stable, and II the ami
NAL be properly groomed when taken
from work, no inconvenience will result,
IL, however, the hair OF the animal be
long, az il ALWAYS Is In winter when the
horse is exposed to the weather, the heat
of the body is entapgied in the hair, and
thus evaporation goes on equally and
the heat of the body Is conserved. So
with the long hair on the heels. 1t is
placed there by nature, and serves q
double purpose: First, 1t prevents mud
from sticking to the skin TO any great de-
gree; and, second, when once wet the
hair prevents chilling by the entangle-