Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-11-28

on the best old grass sod we have. and
if at any time during the summer there
should be shrinkage of the grass from
drought, we give them a small feed of
meal, about one quart to each head
daily, given in the morning, and as soon
in the fall as the grass is injured by frost
we commence feeding corn and feed
until fair price can be obtained for
them; we usually sell in February,
sometimes earlier. The cattle weigh
now 1900 to $500 pounds, and are
thirty to thirty-three months old, and
the market should be dull will continue
to improve rapidly on full feed. gaming
from fifty to seyenty-fve pounds per
month.
/ estimate the cost of raising steer
until thirty-two months old and having
him in prime beef order to be as follows:
One years interest on $50, value of COW, 50 90
Service of thoroughbred bull, o.
Keep of calf first year, including bran, meal
and half of the milk for ave months, Is 90
Seven months pastoiase, and salt second
year, ~
Five months STRAIN, and FODDER second year, 0u
Two barrels corn fed second winter, 90
Eight months grass in third year. 8 o.
Five barrels of corn and fodder in third year ID co
$50 90
Weight of beef 400 pounds at cts per lbs 70 90
$40 90
This gives profit of ten dollars
after allowing tull prices for the &C
tual food consumed.
No estimate Is made for the care
and labor Vt feeding, as the manure,
with the other advantages of consum-
ing the produce of the farm at nome
Especially the grass and rough forage
which is large item in account) viii
compensate tor that; and l have IN de
no charge for keeping the COW, because
If she is fair milker. after giving The
calf the milk tor FIVE months, = the
balance will pay for the keep of the
COW; and the prudent farmer will pro-
tect himself against deterioration in her
value as sae grows old, by drying her
off, and after few months grazing,
sell her fat 20 the butcher
When feeding corn to cattle We
always have hogs to follow them.
We have raised good calves on
skinned milk, and as the future vel
fare OF the calf depends IN great
measure upon the start it gets, if milk
is scarce and sufficient supply can
not be afforded to give it good start
to grow and get fat, it will be better
J to raise it by hand.
Oar practice has b en- to let the calf
suck for the first six or eight days,
which is an advantage to bo:h mother
and calf; it reduces Inflammation OF
the bag, and prevents feverish excite
ment with THE COW, and enables the
digestive organs Of the calf to be
xerclsed naturally, when the young
animal is better fitted to be fed. 1t
should then be removed from the
m other's sight and fed on about two
quarts of new milk three times day
until it is a month old, then gradually
at ffedln. up to three or four quarts
at five weeks old.
After this the calf may be well KEEP,
and Developed finely on at meal boiled
in water, and added to the milk, say
commence with half pint of oat meal
boiled in gallon Of water until well
cooked, added to a gallon and halt
of skinned milk for a days rations,
the meal may be gradually increased
to pint ortwo daily, and the milk
decreased as the calf grows older;
calves soon learn to drink the sour
milk, butter milk and clabber, and
situated as we are. without sale for it.
is the most profitable way we can ase
it. If it scour the calf a teaspoonful
or two Of prepared chalk will soon
correct that.
Numerous and carefully conducted
experiments, show that it is law of
animal growth, that food produces a
greater profit when fed toyouns than
to mature animals that 1t requires a
regular increase of food to grow a
pound of live weight for each ad
dltional pound of abimal, and that the
increase OF cost for each additional
pound Of growth goes on with the
age and size Of the animal at the
earliest period practicable, and OF
raising those breeds that show the
greatest aptitude to acquire their
growth early.
While an animal is young It's diges
tive and assimllative stage OF growth,
the percentage Ct waste in its system
much less than at maturity. 1t is,
therefore, most important that there
should be no check or stint in the
growth of the young animal, for every
pound of fest. lost requires an in
crease cost of food to restore it; this
shows the great necessity for constan:
care and watchtulness, not only to
breed from the most improved breeds
but that they should be constantly
supplied with sufficient nutricious food
and pure water to keep them in
healthy and growing condition.
W hile | would not recommend
pamrerlng or over-feeding young AMI
mails, | carnot insist too strongly on
the great waste in letting them run
down in flesh, for every hundred
pounds of weight lost, is not ouly SO
much beef lost, but the cost of regain-
ing is greater than the cost to frs.
produce it true economy lies in feed
ing and caring for young cattle So that
they shall not lose in winter what
they have gained in the summer.
In January, 1876, our young cattle
went into the yard weighing ga
pouds, and on the l4th day of Nav
they were turned upon grass weighs
ing the same weight (S1fpounds); on
the 18th of June they weighed $50
pounds, and on the 9th of July OPS
pounds, on grass as above they were
fed during the winter, in addition to
straw and fodder, one and half
barrels of corn to the head, and what
they lost in fat they gained in growth,
aud came out Of winter quarters in
condition to make the most out of |
the grass.
IN January, 1877. our Young cattle