The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-03-15
FARMERS COLUMN.
spring care of stock.

March is q severe month OH all kinds Of
farm stock, especially on young animals, if
the best of care has not been given them
through the previous winter. The farmer
should begin to look well to his cattle as the
winter wears away. A careful, observant
man will readily detect those animals which
are not in proper condition, by their mel
Ancholy air. The HAIR will have lost its
natural gloss and in place of a soft silky feel
to the touch, win be dry aud harsh, much
Of it "turning the wrong way" The eye Of
an animal in perfect health is bright, clear
and generally mild. One out Of condition
shows q dull, listess eye as well as a harsh
coat. The horns of mature OK are apt to
be cold If the animal is ailng, and among
the old school farmers aud cow doctors the
disease was pronounced "hollow horn"
and gimlet hole was forthwith bored in the
undersde of each horn about two inches
from the head.
The horn is indeed hollow, and like cold
eStremeties in people, indicates low condi-
tion of health and lack of vitality. A lib.
eial supply Of healthy food is the remedy.
Boring hole in the horn does not ipiure
the animal and sometimes seems to give re-
lief But the real trouble is generally the
should at once be given. A more nutritious
diet is demanded and succulent food. If
turnips or potatoes or any kind Of roots can
be had, light feed of them daily, chopped
up and sprinkled,with meal is the best treat
ment that can be practiced. A generous ra-
ton Of wheat bran mixed with corn meal
should be fed with few spoonfuls of fax
seed, first pouring boiling water on the flax
reed and allowing it to stand till it cools,
then mix with the meal and bran. Calves
especially should be closely looked after as
spring approaches and treated as above di-
rected. Lice are frequently great pest to
cattle in the latter part of winter and spring
and if not attended to calves are much
weakened and often die from the effects of
insects are discovered on them mix coal oil
and lard equal parts and apply the oint.
ment to the animals back from the horn to
the root of the tail. Rub the salve well in
about the roots of the horns, around the
ears, the loose skin under the throat, and
wherever the insects are found clustering,
A good carding occasionally will assist great
ly In cleaning out the vermin and bringing
the animal up TO a better condition. Wa
ter in which potatoes have been boiled is
said to be fatal to cattle lice. There are nu-
merous remedies which if properly used
will clean the animal of these ugly parasites.
Any animals, whether cattle, horses sheep
or pigs, which show symptoms of having
run down during the season of cold weather
and dry food, should have immediate atten-
ton, and the same mode of treatment will
be found beneficial to all. An extra ration
daily of nourishing, succulent food, will give
tone TO the animal and an improved condi-
tion will be speedily manifest.
Animals needing extra care should be sep
arated from the more hardy and strong ones,
and fed by themselves, where they can con-
sumo their food quietly without being knock
ed about and kept in fear, which is always
an injury to the weaker animals. Ewes
that are heavy in lamb should be kept from
crowding by the flock, and be fed where
they have plenty of room and are not ex-
posed to injury from rough treatment.
Such care and attention is considered
quite hardship and very much bother b.
many farmers. But the choice lies between
proper care and attention to stock in the
most trying season of the year, an early
start and rapid growth when spring opens
with the resulting pecunary profit and ne
glect, with the certainty of run down stock
in the spring, which will require the profit
able, part of the grazing season to restore to
thrifty condition, with the never failing
result small profit or none at all to the ow-
her. The careful farmer is the farmer who
is always found in the most prosperous con-
dition.