Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-11-24
Continental Food.

Prof T.. w. Stewart who, as is we'll.
known, has made a special study of the sub
ject Of food and feeding animals, writes to
the Country Gentleman that
This is a fitting time to discuss the ques-
tion Of food for stock, and farmers have not
yet paid proper attention to the likes and
dislikes Of their animals. Farmers are too
apt to regard animals as Indifferent to taste,
and often compel them to eat what is un-
pleasant to them, but the animals always
pay back such neglect Of their wants in poor
thrift. Food always has a greater value for
being palatable to the animal, although it
may not contain any greater amount of nutri-
m,nt. We have made havorng materials
study in practical feeding. And as an
animal feeding for beef, pork or mutton, or
for the production of milk, is machine for
converting food into the various articles men.
toned, the more you can get it to eat, up to
the limit of proper digestion, the greater the
profit. And it must be apparent that rel
ish given to food will cause more to be eaten
with pleasure to the animal, and couse.
quently more gain in flesh, milk or wool in
u given time.
The best thing can do for your readers
will be to give some hints to enable them to
prepare continental foods for themselves, at
the simple cost Of the raw material.
Almost all animals arc fond of sweet
foods; therefore one of the largest resources
of the feeder for rendering foods agreeable
to animals, is the use of cheap sweets.
Sweet apples are preferred to sour, hut a
mixing OF sour and sweet is often preferred
by cows aud horses to either alone. We
have tried many experiments with
Cheap MoIasses,
Mostly sorghum, as an appetizer for other
foods. Sugar, in its various forms, is an
excellent food for laying on fat. | tried an
experiment upon horse, Is years old, that
had become poor by over-work aud i'll care.
The food consisted Of cheap sorghum molas.
ses and clover hay. began with one pint
Of moasses in one and one e.haf gallons of
water, aud this was used to moisteR the cut
| clover hay. The horse was very fond OF
the hay and sweet water. In two days
added another pint, aud shortly after the
third pint, and then he was fed one pint of
molasses at each feed for 81 days, with only
clover hay. The horse ate large quantities
of hay, and on examining the droppings, it
was found to be well digested, The horse,
during the 80 days that he had been fed
with moasses and clover hay had gained
100 pounds in weight. lie had ouly suiii.
cient exercise for health during this time,
aud he was rounded out finely, The flesh
was not sufficiently firm for work, aud then
fed him for two weeks on oats and hay,
when he was put into work, which he stood
WELL We tried the same experiment upon
iattenug steers in September, aud found the
result the samoa gain Of three pounds per
head per day upon three pints OF moasSes
on early cut clover. We also found sheep
equally fond of fine grasses sweetened with
molasses. Cows are very fond Of sweet
grasses, but care must be used to feed spar
ingly-not more than a pint per day to a
cows sugar in too large quantities will
render breeding animal barren.
regard wholesome molasses to be worth
from % to 40 cents per gallon as direct
food for iatteuing animals, But | recon.
mend it now merely as a condment to rcn'
der other foods palatablo in which case you
h'eu ohlJ ~ huVh 10 w b''p 'uNh q" "PPS'
tite, have practicej cooking food for al
my animals in winter, and have often used
refuse molasses to diAuse a pleasant favol
through great variety Of foods while steam
ing. There are many vegetables that may
be used proftably as mere condiments whict
are raised for food, such as carrots, bests
turnips, etc. One good way to use them al
havoring material for other foods is to ruI
them through puIper aud then mix theu
in with cut hay or coarse fodder. A goo,
plan for doing tuis is TO place a layer Of Gu
fodder on the floor, three or four inche