The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-12-31


ap close all the fodder given, they
can be brought through the winter
in better condition than when slov-
enly, careless method is practised.
OF course, base these remarks on
the idea that fodder must be secured
at the right time and in the best pos
sible condition.
1t is very easy, by overfeeding. to
teach stock of any kind to waste their
food, aud when that habit is once
acquired it is bard to break II up, es-
peeially with young stock First, Sc
cure the food Ia tho best possible cou-
dition second, furnish good, COM
Portable sheds and stables suited 10
the different kinds of stock /; third,
make good managers aud racks, so
there can be no possibility Of waste,
and then feed just the amount, as
near as possible, that the different
kinds of stock will eat, and if at the
next feeding time some is left, not
quite SO much is to be given but if
all is eaten clean, then increase q lit
tie. In this way the amount stock
will eat can be arrived at very close
ly. But when any is left that you
don't expect to be eaten, always clean
it from the racks or managers, as the
case may be. The idea is to make
stock eat all they will and not waste
any. to keep it in thriving condition,
and by eeouomizing in feed two
fold gain is made.
Every good farmer who does any
part Of his own work can put in his
time TO the best advantage by taking
care Of mis- own stock, and let the
hired help do the straight work in
the field or woods, for not one hired
man in ten can be trusted with the
care Of stock in the winter time,
either from lack Of judgment or the
want of care, or both.
To be a good hand with stock
man must Ike the business and have
some interest in It. He must be gen
tie and kind, and then the stock will
like him aud they will get along
irst-rete together. A howling, wild,
uneultivated fellow has no business
taking care of stock. Anybody that
will abuse the dumb brutes that God
has given us for our own pressing
needs, and has not given the tongue
to tell the abuse they receive, is not
much better than the brute himself,
and never should be trusted with the
care Of stock.
But the most critical time for
stock, and when most liable TO lose il
flesh, ia at the last end OF grazing
and first cad Of feeding time. Wnen
pastures get short, and the grass is
Injured by frosts, stock of all kinds
are liable TO lose in flesh, unknown TO
the careless and unobserviag farmer
and when stock lose flesh in this way,
i've times the amount OF feed is re-
quired to restore the loss that il
would have required to prevent it,
besides the set back in the growth Of
the stock. The farmers who are the
most liberal feeders do not always
obtain the best results, from the fact
that they don't feed with judgment
and uniformity. Calves and lambs,
when feed begins to fail late in the
fall, should have a small extra ration
Of some kind, so there will be no
check in their growth, and at the
same time be taught 70 take hold Of
the regular winter rstions, and pre-
veat q falling OF, jGst on going into
winter quarters Farm horses that
lie idle ia the stables the most of the
time in winter are an exception TO
the rule, end should not be fed all
they will eat.
Many farmers think it cheaper TO
winter their farm teams mostly on
hay, and, with this view, keep their
hangers full constantly. This think
a mistaken policy Many horses are
spoiled by eating too much hay.
When stuffed for weeks and months,
with but little exercise, they grow
hair looking rough and
standing on end. looking more like
hedgehog than a horse, and in many
instances resulting in heaves and
many other diseases. Scrimp horse
en- hay and give some grain. and it
will keep in better condition for eth
er work or standing idle.