The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-01-27
Live Stock.


Thus far in the winter of S0-S1 we have had
some cold and some very pleasant winter /
weather. Sudden changes are always hard on |
men and animals, 50 We should do all we can
for our domestic animals, to so look after their
many wants in time to prevent their feeling
the great changes of temperature that we so
often have. Have the stables 80 arranged that
the windows can be kept open for ventilation
in moderate weather and closed whenever it is
necessary, as it will require great amount OF
hay and grain to make up for the loss of heat
of COW that is obliged to remain in an exposed
place all night when the thermometer is at or
below zero To keep up the heat in man and
animals requires fuel, just the same as 1t docs
to keep our rooms comfortable; so if the fuel
is of poor quality and burned in poor stove
the result will OF course be little more than
weak ashes that will be of little value as fertil
izer Just the same thing will be observed if
the COW is fed ON damaged hay or rotten straw,
the result will be very small quantity Of poor
milk and manure that will never do much good
for our land Feed hay and grain In warm
stable, and see the vast difference: A fat. sleek
COW, plenty Of milk and butter and fertilizers
that will make the poor hill sides shine.
We have thought that it would do no harm
to repeat what has been 30 often said in the
F.umer about improving the breeds of our
domestic animals, feeling as we do that about
the first of the year all of our readers are more
apt to make good resolutions than at any other
one period of the year. Thinking that now
/ will try to make some changes for the better,
for the next year, what can spend some of
my savings of the past year in that will do me
the most good? We ansosr most ur2Iesstatingly,
in nothing that soiN make a greater return than
to Improve the breeds Of your domestic ANIMALS
Now that the country is SO full of reliable
breeders who make speciality of raising and
improving the breeds of all domestic animals,
the close competition compels them to sell at
much more reasonable price than formerly.
Take for instance the price at which you can
obtain thoroughbred male pig of undoubted
purity of blood. one that will be sure to make
a mark ON all the progeny, no matter how
| poor the female parent is. In what other way
bring IN better return and at the same time
| be able to see it so soon? In q year from the
time the pig is bought, with reasonably good
care we can have numerous herd of half
blood pigs that are sure to pay well for gener-
Gus feed, and will at the same time be pleas
ure to the owner to look at, as they will be 80
much better looking than his old stock was
and not half SO apt to get in mischief Go into
neghborhood where good hogs (well bred)
are kept and we will never hear barking dog
and squealing hog, caused by sending rough
boys or men to drive neighbours hogs out of
the corn field.
We recently saw lot OF pigs of the well
bred sort just eight months old when slaugh-
tered that averaged over $50 pounds. We do
not mention this as great weight for the age,
tor it is not. They were not raised on dairy
farm or they would have been much larger.
Twenty or thirty years ago the farmer who
raised this lot of nice pork was always obliged
to keep his hogs until fourteen or sixteen
months old to make an average of 200 pounds
EACH Now is not six months in the life of a
pig we'll worth saving.
In portions of our State where butter and
cream are leading articles for sale, it is very
common to feed the fall pigs to sell in the
spring when the price is coed, and keep the
spring pigs for use at home in the fall thus re-
alizing the best profit for the feed consumed.
Brood sows that are expected to bring our
early spring pigs should be separated from
others from one to two months before the time
they are expected to farrow. Many valuable
pigs are lost every year from neglect in this
particular. Cows should not be kept either
battered or in stanchions when nearer than a
month of the time they are due to calve, and
should always be fed literally on ear corn for
at least ten days before they are tresh as it has
been found to be OF great help in parturitiOn.
At least many of the most successful breeders
say they have never had q cow fail to get rid of
the placenta Immediately when the COW was
literally fed on corn. When the calf is ten
days old it will begin to eat little meal and
bran mixed and some hay, which should be so
placed that it can get at them all the time
without being in reach OF the COW. The more
the calf eats of good nutritious food the SOON
it will be ready for its future use, let that be
for milk or for beef
Every flock of breeding ewes should be al
lowed to run in the field portion of the day,
unless it be very stormy. Sheep do not bear
confinement in this climate as well as other
animals. 1t is also very important that they
are not turned out with either horses or cat
tie; the horses are sure to run, and the cattle
are liable TO injure them, thus causing the ewes
to bring poor lambs and frequently to have
them before reaching the full period. A timid
animal like sheep should always be handled
with great care, never crowded through mar
row gate or in any manner scared.
Do not neglect to supply all animals liberal
ly with straw or some absorbent, as by SO do
ing the manure pile can be greatly increased,
interest by using it on grass or corn for 81
rather than keep it wasting till fall to use on
wheat to ripen in 'S2-American Farmer.