The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-01-23
FARM NOTES.


FARM NOTES.
Some Hints on the Management of Live
Stock.
from the American Agriculturistl
Pigs.-Store pigs will thrive well on
roots with a slop of bran, sour milk and
water. A supply of roots on hand will
greatly reduce the cost of feeding store
pigs. Turnips that cannot well be fed
to COWS may be given to the pigs. Give
young pigs warm, dry bed.
Lice.-The irritation of lice keeps
young animals poor and miserable. TO
rid them of these pests, brush the skin
all over thoroughly with brush dipped
in mixture Of linseed-oil and kerosene,
shaking the excess of oil out before
using the brush. Work the grease down
TO the skin; if this is persevered in the
lice will soon disappear.
Mares IN FoaL-A roomy loose box
is the safest and most comfortable place
for brood mare. A colt may be raised
for the same cost as a COW, and when 3
years old may be worth four COWS.
There is brisk demand for good werk
horses, and large export business is
growing up, so that the keeping of
mares will become source of income.
But not only must the right kind be
kept, and the right kind of colts be
raised, but the mares must have proper
stable accommodations. When a mare
is idle large portion of the time, ex-
ercise is needed, and this she can get in
loose box.
COLts.-Young colts should be well
fed and cared for the first winter; pro-
vide a warm stall for them, with plenty
of litter, and give them good brushing
down once every day. A quart of oats,
daily, will be needed, and some bright,
clean, sweet hay. Crtfeed is not suit
able for young colts, whose digestion
should not be overtaxed by food packed
solidly in the stomach; feed light and
frequently.
York OCen.-Oxen that work on
frozen roads, although there is no ice,
should be shod. The rough, hard sur
face wears down the hoofs very fast,
and causes Inflammation of the interior !;
the trouble may not become apparent
until later, when the mischief is difficult
to repair. If the feet are tender and
hot, and slight lameness is perceived,
examine the hoofs between the claws,
cleanse the feet and apply remedies if
needed.
LambS.-Lambs dropped this month
should be well fed through the eve.
Give little heating food, such as corn,
in any shape; but bran, oilcake meal,
and oatmeal III Cruel will be healthful
and nourishing for the eve and the
lamb. in stormy weather the eve and
lamb may be kept under cover, but in
fine, sunny days they may run in a
dry yard; but not with the other sheep.
Early lambs for market should be
pushed ahead as fast as may be safe.
Breeding ewes that are expected to
drop lambs early should be closely
watched. The springing of the udder
is an unfailing sign of approaching par
turition. The eve should then be re-
moved to separate pen and kept quiet,
but visited at least every three hours
and the last thingat night. 1t is rarely
that any help is needed, except in very
cold weather, to wrap a piece of soft
blanket about the lamb and to help it
suck rs soon as possible. AS soon as
the lamb gets meal it will be all right.
and the eve may be left to herself for
few hours.
Tdmeness and gentleness are quail
ties to be encouraged in ali domestic an
finals. Their value is discovered when
it is necessary to handle the animals at
critical periods. When confidence, if
not affection, exists, one can do much
with n suffering animal, when otherwise
interference might make matters worse.
1t would be well to make friends with
COWS and sheep especially, by petting
them, giving them salt and palatable
things, and mingling with them in the
yards. Every animal should be trained
to be handled when loose i'll the yard.
Young calves will thrive well if kept
IN a shed together and well fed. The
sned may be Uttered literally, and need
not be cleaned out until the spring, or
until the manure has become foot or
more deep. Calves may thus become
good manure-makers. but it will be
necessary to feed them well. Bran and
oats, with little corn, will be the best
for them. Give one pint day for those
under year, and quart or two daily
for yearlings. Costiveness in cold
weather should be carefully guarded
against, and, if Necessary, half pint of
raw linseed-oil, or a pint of linseed-
meal, should be given with the food as
a remedy.
CoWs.-Milking COWS will be bene-
flied by mixing their feed with warm
water, if this can be done without too
much trouble. A family COW may be
treated to warm mess in the mornings
without difficulty, and it will increase
the milk perceptibly. Cut the hay and
pour pailful of hot water over it; mix
the mess so that the hay is all wetted,
and add the meal; mix again, and feed
while warm. In dairy of twenty COWS
the extra milk will pay for the labor
needed. If the food can be made more
digestible, and by giving it warm, the
waste of animal Eeat will be avoided,
and the same effect will result as from
an pc'epsA of food. Thus the study of
the principles of feeding may be made
source of profit by the economy which
may be practiced through it. The card