The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-06
Xintarinr Stock.

The New York Times says: Over-feed-
ing is, perhaps, the most serious error of
WInterlng stock under the old or COM
mon system. 1T has been supposed that
an animal would eat only what nature
requires; consequently the general rule
has been, in feeding ruminants, to give
them all they would eat, without regard
to its fitness OF quality. In feeding late
cut and very ripe hay, the food cons titu-
ents of which nave in great part been
changed into almost indigestible cellu-
lose, it might require all, and even more
than an animal could be induced to eat,
to keep it in condition.
1t is no uncommon occurrence, in the
experience of stock-keepers, that strong,
healthy animals lose flesh when fed upon
poor hay alone in unsGinted quantity
Animals thus treated acquire the habit
of stufiing themselves very full; in fact,
they are obliged to do so in order to OBJ
tain sufficient nutriment. But change
from poor hay to that cut in the first
blQssom THE very best time, in point OF
economy, for cutting grass), one pound
of which Is worth ior feeding at least
two pounds of that which is over-ripe; (;
the animal relisning it much better will
eat even more, il possible, thal OF the
poor hay, consequently she may have
more than twice lhe nutriment she had
| formerly.
| Ii her digestive capacity was unlimit-
| ed, 50 that the added DutrimenC would
add SO much to growth or the accumuia-
| ton OF flesh or lat, the error would not
| be SO serious but here comes in the i'm
| portant tact upon which my system oil
Winterlng stock is tounded-an absolute
| limit to the digest tive capacity Of the ami
NAL. III that is exceeded, there is not
only waste in proportion to the excess,
but the system becomes clogged and, in
the very nature of things, seriously de-
ranged.
But suppose that in the place OF the
early cut nay We feed rowen or after
math, which, pound for pound, has twice
the value in food elements OF the former
(if cut ~ hen not over six or eight inches
and " hat utter folly to allow The anina
all it will consume of this rich lood
Some new milch COWS, whose lactea
glands are very active and well deyel
oped, might possibly consume it without
much waste; but it is safe to say thai
not one COW In one hundred could do IL
Yet many dairymen are in The habit O.
feeding their COWS all they Will eat The
year round, regardless OF the fact that
as the flow Of milk naturally decreases
the capacity Of the lacteal glands to con
vert the constituents OF food into milk
llk is diminished in proportion, ant
even when the COW is dried of. they &
on teeding at the same rate, not consId
ering that halt her digestive powers All
dormant. ..
The question for every man who keep
: COW to study Is not how much hay .
grain, as tue case may be, she will eat
. that is easily determined by placing til
food before her; but how much can sn
assimilate without Waste2 Ii she ha
recently dropped ner calf and is giving
, we will say, lorty pounds OF milk dally
she VIII require more than twice The sue
culent FOOD mat would serve her il dry
Ii sne. has been in mix, say six months
and nsr flow on milk is reduced one-nall
about one-third less will supply he
wants.