The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-23
Fatten Stock Early.

IT is the custom of many farmers to
DELAY feeding stock designed for the
market till vegetables have attained their
growth and corn has become hard on
the ear. They think there is . great
loss in feeding material if the above
named articles are eaten before they are
mature. They accordingly delay feed
ing animals with view OF tatten'ng
them till the food they are expected to
eat shall attain its maximum value.
They seem to forget that this delay is
attended with many disadvantages that
more than offset the gain in the value OF
food. The state of the weather has al
most as much influence on the fattening
of stock as the condition Of the food fed
to the animals. What is gained in the
quality of food by delay is generally lost
in the unfavorable condition OF the
weather. .. ...-.-
Take one season with another, Sep
tember and October are the most favor
able months in the entire year for fatten-
ing stock of all kinds. Severe storms are
then few. The temperature is neither
very warm nor very cold. II is in the
highest degree comfortable. The air
is generally pure, cool and refreshing.
During this season of the year larger
proportion of the food consumed by
animals is converted into fat and muscle
than. at any other time. Exercise dur.
ing the hottest weather is fatiguing. and
requires the expenditure of much mus.
| cuiar power. During the severe cold
of winter very large proportion OF the
food consumed by animals is employed
in tbs production Of vital heat. Espe-
cialiy Is this the case where animals
have little or no shelter, but are warm.
cd from the inside.
Daring severely cold weather animals
gain very little, even when they are
crowded with I'll the food they can de-
YOUR. They are not comfortable, and
/ creatures ID this condition will not ordi-
narily gain in flesh. During hard
storms animals will huddle together or
become fractiops and cross, and in
many cases iniurc each other. 1t KEEP,
up continually near the commencement
of cold weather they lose their appetite,
! and their powers Of digestion become
Impaired. = Sheep fatten very slowly
during severely oold weather, unless they
arc provided with better quarters than
western farmers ordinarily furnish, and
are quite likely to fall of in condition
during protracted storms. They do mo-
take kindly to close confinement, while
they suffer greatly il their wool becomes
saturated with water and freezing
weather follows the wetting. All thing
considered early fall is the best season
for fattening sheep. =
\ 1T is injudicious to attempt to maxi
,khks very fat during the summer months
, Unless There IS. I'M excellent provision
for sh Rde and an abundant supply 9
water fat hogs are likely to suffer from
/ the heat during July and August. o.
, the other hand, very cold weather is IN
!, favorable for fattening hogs. All hog
, are extremely sensitive to both. ,hea
! and cold. They enjoy lying in the su
, when it not too hot and thrive bes
I when the weather is moderately warn
They suffer greatly from the cold, an
> are likely 70 lose in flesh during storm
, of raii and snow unless they have DIR
|. and warm udax1etl. So f4r o. the ten
: peratute IL cUkccYnef September AM
!, Octobr are the best, months in the 81
! tire year for fattening hogs. They nee
! little or no protection as few sever
. storms are likely to occur. ..,,.,.,.F..
4 Its likely that corn will produce Il
,,aaargest amount Of fat when it is full
!. ripe, but in the opinion Of the most SUI
. cessful feeders there is no economy
y waiting for corn to become hard on tt
" ear before commencing to feed IL
y hogs. Ii the entire stalks are fed Al
4 while the foliage is green nearly eve
: portion will be eaten. The kernels
= grain may improve to some extent
standing till they become ripe, but the
will be . loss in the leaves and stalk
Ears OF corn sufficiently mature to
:. good for the table make admirable TO,
J: Tor hogs. Pumpkins, apples and /.
X kinds Of roots may be fed to stock wi
le as much advantage during the early pa
" Of the fall as at any later period. The
t. JisFthen the greatest variety Of foo
j. which is favorable to health and pr
,e ductive of fine flavor in meat.-Chica
s. Times. .'{H.aLij.HJ