St. Landry democrat., 1878-11-09
Fattenimg stock.
ff'rair.e Farmer !


One of the great difficulties in bring
ing stock to full degree OF f,tneSs Ia
that they often break down in their
limbs lhr'nsn the excessive arru'nu'a-
,io,, of tat. This il particularly nhice-
able in swine, and especially vi hen they
are fed exclusively nn Indian corn.
This my hp n,viatrd in Il great n,r;,~-
ur by giving fattening animals ii va
rity of food during thu earlier stages at
fattcning. and tiIi>lliug with corn.
Plenty ut salt Ia also essential its Otfirt'
being, among other rlSes, to eliminate
fir ~ the blood nOXi0tS principles. Very
finely ground bone meal il ais , useit III
the finishing stages OF fattening in
cunu.c ctin, with salt and ;.shrS.
Many persons are i'm the habit of mix
ing salt and ashes and also bone dust
regularly in the food given to stock, or
else ut stated intervals. This, hnwever,
il objectionable, since thus the stock are
obliged often to take an undue portion,
aud in the latter case often ut irregular
intervals. The better way il to keep salt
always where stock may take it at will.
The same may he said OF wood ashes.
When ii good variety of food is given,
stock will not requirec bone meal. III
fact it is not altogether certain that her
bivorous animals will assinilate crude
bone though f,On the fact that cattle
are apt to gIaw bones when they tind
them, it is altogether probable that ii
ly do. Bone is composed of cartilage,
gelatin, fat and salts of lime, magEesia,
soda and potash, combined with pllOs-
phOric and other acids. There is no
reason why in a finely ground state it
may not be assimilated even by herbivor-
ous animals. Practice would seem to
show that it is. Hence the use of it in
fattening animals in particular cases.
When the animals are intended for the
shambles it is important that they have
bone enough to sustain them. 1t is eS-
pecially important that this he the case
in the show ring. To accomplish this
end, while young they should I've kept
steadily growing. They must have
plenty of heterogeneous good. For young
animals there il nothing better in con
uec.ion with IL tlusl, pasture in summer.
than sound oats, bran and middlings OF
wheat -four mixed. In summer when
the pasture is flush they will eat bu.
little. In winter they should have all
they will eat clean, but at this season
one-tiirtl of the feed may be corn meal.
or the food may better he alternated.
giving the oats crushed. the bran ant
l,,iddlings mixed, and the corn ground
to meal. All three "f these may |"
nnxrh with cut hay or fed separately
according to the means ut hand. Indeed.
many feeders, where grain is cheap
prefer t" feed it whole. 1t is largely
l,,tttr in which the cost OF grinding il
concerned.
While the plan given above for m,k
nx animals fully tat will apply to all
t il with swine particularly that the
ulr il tn I've observed. Fhi>is plrticu-
,rly essential with auim lis intended
far the show ring They often hrv.
y he transported long distances by raj. '.
nh jrct to heat, exposure, loss of regu-
N iced, and other dis, iEliti..~ caIruIate.
- weaken the sys,eils and us.trarr from
',- general appearance of the animals
Il is not nnl, innrtifyiug. hut it alS,
nurl,-s the pocket seriously - nave All
,nim II lose il priz for WANT Ut pr,'p''
are in feeding. Corn is all light SD fa
- f.ttcninz il concerned; hur it tin
min II has not been started right al
he corn that my be given will II,
make it property fat. 1t tIls. show RIM
It "ur fairs, it the amin lis have no
'rn given bone AMI M lscl,' to star
,iE!, they IN list inevitably fail uule.
tI,t handling Uf competent judges.