The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-31
Economy or cut Food.

Improvement in the method of feeding
has saved much valuable material that
would otherwise have been wasted and the
benefit gained has been more from the
preparation than from the quality OF the
food given. The recent Improvements In
machines for cutting cOrnstalks enable
farmers not. only to cut their stalks into
very short lengths but also to crush and to
tear them to pieces, the process breaking the
siliciOus, hard coating and facilitating dl-
eestion The advan tages of cutting all long
food are numerous. Principal among the
benefits derived is less waste, and
anv method that prevents unnecessary
loss is an actual gain. Prepared
food is more easily masticated and digested,
is more palatable, and affords nourishment
according to the attention given 1t. BY cut
ting and preparing food the inferior kinds
can be given along with the best. and mix
lures can be made to suit the different grades
of stock. Cornstalks have not been regarded
as of special value on the farm except
to add bulk to the manure heap. Even II
fed alone. after being we'll cut, they are not
as nourishing as other food, but if saved and
kept in the barn in good, bright condition,
they can be utilized by the aid Of the cutter,
and be made to III the bill of fare, which
often runs short of material before the win
ter is over. Many farmers feed their ami
mails literally with grOuI-d grain, using hay
aud straw more for the purposes of disten-
sion and bulk than for GU lily, ard 1T is on
the farms where the grains are used that cut
cornstalks can be made useful. When well
cut aud crushed they can be steamed or
moistened with hot water until swollen,
which renders them tender; but If the cattle
are not accustomed to them they should be
sprinkled with meal and little salt. Finely
cut and mixed with pulpy roots they are
relished by cattle at all times.
Another saving, which more than balances
the labor required for cutting, Is the value
OF cut food 10 the manure heap. The re-
fuse of cut stalks, straw, hay, etc, should
be used for the absorption of liquids. Straw
and inferior hay, should any be left in the
trough after feeding, is in a better condi-
ton for bedding than when fed in the en-
tire state The beds can be removed with
greater ease, and being in fine condition, is
added to the manure heap in that state
the result being a saving in the handling
of the manure more thorough TOtting
and greater ease in its distribution over
the fields. No farmer who has beer
accustomed to hauling coarse manure to
the fields will object TO the labor
of the cutting when he once tries the east
and convenience of distributing manure
that has been made from material that hs
passed through the cutter. 1t is almost bar
barous to throw away corn fodder and straw
by the bundle in barnyards to be trampleC
upon and wasted by cattle, when by cuttini
it the stock will he willing to consume it, 4
say nothing of the cleanliness Of the system
facility of handling, variety OF preparation
and nutritive properties gained. To thl
may be added the qulcknesS OF decomposl
ton ia the manure heaps, hneness of ma
terial, and little liability of "ire-fanging,
as well as the saving of the volatile case
that often escape from want OF finely-divide
abSor5ents