The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-08-08

bls.cA Leg
This disease is a fatal malady among
calves and yearlings in the west. We
do not ever remember ofhesring of it In
the east, and from its prevalence among
western young cattle, we are disposed to
attribute its cause to the food of young
stock in this country being so largely
composed of corn. Indian corn is essen
italy a fat producing constituent, and
this IS not the kind of food young grow
log animals require. A concentrated
food that will buIld up bone and muscle
i. what the young animal demands to
keep it in healthy and growing con-
dition, and for this purpose there is none
within convenient reach of our western
farmers equal to oats. Oats is q muscle
producer, and TO keep the young animals
growing, and at the same time avoid I'M
due accumulation of tat, is the grand Sc
cret to success in raising calves.
Feeding corn in large quantities
to the exclusion of all other
concentrated food to. calves and
young cattle, creates an injurious
amount Of fat, while the system calls for
more bone and muscle food, deranges
the system, and diseases the blood. The
very natural consequence is congestion
and sudden death II oats and wheat
bran, both or either, were mixed with
ground or crushed Indian corn and the
calves aud young stock fed this mixture
in moderate allowance daily, with a
plentiful supply of hay and corn fodder,
and other coarse provender to serve the
purpose of distending the stomschs of
the growing animals, it is our opinion
| that " backlog would be rarely heard
OF, instead of the scourge it is among the
! finest calves in the herd.
The practice among prairie farmers Of
/ turning their stock into corn-feld5 after
! the corn has been gathered, to feed on
! the dry husks and stalks that are left
! standing "a they grew, causes the death
of many fine animals. Any one who
loses q COW beast by feeding on dry fod-
| der, will be Convinced, If q post mertem
examination is made, of the danger that
! is ever prevalent to the owner OF stock
which Is allowed to feed in this volunteer
manner. The stOmachs will be found
| packed with hot, dry, hard mass Of
stalks and husks, which no remedy car
reach or remove. Animals which die
from eating this dry food suffer the
greatest agony, expiring in cOnvulsions
| Feeding at will on dry corn stalks lie.
standing IN the fields, is almest-probab
! ~ dlIOSGlIeE---d as IALdi 10 larger CaI-lS
As "black leg" to calves. While there j!
no other iced more Wholesome and nu
tritious than corD-iodder cut and cured
in the shock before frost touches it
it becomes a dry, harsh, dangerou
food when lett standing to dry
by the frost and wind where i
grew.
Every farmer who raises calves-anC
every farmer should rear all the ealve
possible--shOuld provide a lew acres o
red clover hay for winter feed tor them
Red clover hay, cut when the bloom ha
begun to turn, and properly cured anC
protected from the weather, is the mos
wholesome coarse food that can be pro
vided tor calves and sheep. 1t is almos
a. cooling and grateful to the stomach
and bowels as green grass.
Calves given one iced of clover ha,
daily with a generous lick of meal com
posed OF half corn and halt oats or whea
bran, would never be troubled wit
"black Leg" But it is less trouble t
feed prairie hay and dry corn stalks
supplemented with heavy doses of Who'll
corn, with the inevitable percentage c
deaths from indigestion and blac
leg" though the more enlightened treat
nient would prove the more proftabl
IN the end kansas Farmer.