Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-01-26
Watering Stock in Winter.

Watering Stock in Winter.
| THERE is probably no one thing essen.
tial to the health and comfort Of farm
stock which is so generally neglected as
that OF furnishing full supply of water
Many farmer depends entrely upon
some stream orpond quarter or half mile
distant, to which the animals are driven
once day over frozen slippery path, or
through snowdritts, in order to Stake
their thil with "A liquid slightly warmer
than ice itself. If a herd of cattle could
all be thirsty at one time, and at the hour
most convenient tor the farmer to drive
them to the pond, this system of watering
might answer tolerably we'll, but, un-
fortunately, animals have their individual
| peculiarities in such matters as well as
| human beings No animal can thrive or
| gain flesh when suffering from thirst, no
matter how much or how rich food is
| given, and when kept upon dry fodder in
winter they are as likely to require water
as frequently as in summer.
| Drinking places should be made easily
| accessible, so that the animals shall not
| be obliged to wade through mud and ice
IN order to reach them, thereby getting
| their feet and legs wet and covered with
| filth. to be carried back into the yards or
| stables. Animals will frequently suffer
| thirst rather than wade through mud
| hole to get to water. Then, again, the
water should be pure and sweet or it will
| be rejected until the animal is forced, by
thirst to drink it. Cows in particular
sometimes have strange iances in regard
to water, often preferring that from a stag
nant pool to The purest and sweetest
| spring But as a rule water from well
| spring, or cistern is better for stock in
winter than that from an open pond or
running stream which is frozen over dur
ing frosty weather. The water in the
latter is usually too cold either to SUIT
| their taste or to be heathtul. No rule
can be laid down to meet all circum-
| stances in regard to the amount to be
| given or the number of times animals
should be watered per day or week in
winter, but we can safely say that each
animal will, if permitted, settle this ques-
ton for itself
The only true way is TO place water
where each animal can help itself when
ever thirsty. OF course horses that are
worked must be excepted for when
brought into the stables overheated by ex-
| ercise II will not be safe to allow them
access to cold water, but COWS, oxen and
| young stock generally should never be
stlnted in their supplies of water, although
| We fear that this class of animals suffer
more from want of it than any other
There is far too great an inclination
among farmers TO lay down certain rules
! tor watering their stock at all seasons.
and where water is difficult 10 obtain
they are likely to become less strict in
their applications.
In regard to watering horses, cele-
brated author sums up the question in the
following words: 1T rests only to say
that water, although il should never be
gwen 10 horse in large quantities short
! ~ before being put Ia work or at ali on
| ms coming of work while hot; still less
while faded or eXhausted-Shoud or.
dinarily be furnished him often and in
abundance. Not SO much in large draughts
at time, which improperly distends the
ston ach, rs in small quantities a, fire.
| quenty recurring intervals If a farmer
depends upon hired labor to care for his
stock he must be ever on the alert to pre-.
vent neglect, unless the laborers are OF a
more faithful kind than is usually ob.
tanned In this country OF course we do
net suppose that the owners OF animals
are always TO be trusted in this matter for
we have known many who We're fully rs
! anxious 20 do up the chores at night and
get IN by the side OF good fire as any
hired man
The horses may have been hard at work
during the day, and when brought in at
night they would be hastily embarrassed,
ami left with snow and mud hanging TO
their legs and feet; no blankets being put
on in the coolest weather. although the
stables were little better than open sheds.
To complete the neglect. hay would be
tossed into the rack and oats into the
trough before them, and then the farmer
goes 10 the house and torcets that the
horses have had no water since morning
Perhaps this latter requisite To health and
comfort Is offered before theanimal is halt
through with his meal, and if he refuses
10 drink under such circumstances il Is
taken rs proof that he is not thirsty:
hence no more is offered him until the
next dsy. Now, this haste in the care of
animals l. the cause Of many diseases, as
well rs general rnhe9lfhiu,SS SIpu-r, -, a