Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-12-21
Winter Care Of Live Stock.

There are a few general rules for the
care of live stock in winter, which are
of universal application:
First.-They should lie dry, whether
bedded or not. A dry floor is far better
than wet bedding. Spar or slat floors,
through which urine will quickly pass,
and which give the animals level stand
ing place, are especially to be advised.
A good degree of comfort may be had
on such floors, but a full supply of dry
litter-straw, leaves, swamp hay, etc
certainly makes all kinds of stock more
comfortable.
Second.-Shelter saves fodder, wher-
ever lumber can be easily obtained, to a
degree that few practical men are aware
of. The warmer the stables are, the bet
ter, except perhaps for sheep. But with
close, warm stables, it is essential that
the manure heap should be where it will
not cOntaminate the air, and that there
should be perfect ventilation, so arranged
as not to cause drafts of air.
Third to feed This should be
given with the utmostregularity and uni
fOrmity-never more than will be all
eaten up long before the next feeding
time. Then the animals have an appc-
tite for their food, SO that coarse fodder
may be first given, to be followed with
better, and by grain in some form, if this
be part of the daily ration. This is no
doubt an economical system, securing
the least waste and best digestion of all
kinds of fodder used in the ordinary way.
Fourth.-GrOoming and care of the
animals are q most valuable means of
! keeping them in health as well as of saw
ing feed. The skin of an animal exist
! ing in a state of nature is washed by
| every shower, brushed and carded by
every bush, licked by its mates, rubbed
by the ground in rolling, and in various
ways kept free from accumula-
! tions of its own calculations,
from the stoppage of its pores by
sweat, and from its own inherent dirt.
A healthy skin means warmth, health,
! life and vigor, other things being about
| right, and we can secure this in horses
and cattle only by grooming. A straw
brush, made by twisting up thick rope
of straw, until it becomes very hard and
inclined to kink, then doubling it and
twisting it into a stiff mass a foot or
eighteen inches long perhaps, with the
ends tucked and fastened, will do a deal
of rubbing before it goes to pieces, and is
for purposes of friction, rubbing off mud,
etc, better than any other brush. Clean
skins are just as Important for COWS as for
horses, and the use of the brush il
recommended in the cattle stalls
Fifth.-Sunshine. Fresh air and sun
shine are health-giving and invigorating
principles and not one of our living de-
pendents should be without them. In
the thorough ventilation recommended,
good air is provided for, nevertheless all
well fed animals enjoy and are the. better
for air breathed out of doors even on our
coolest days, and a sun-bath of an hour
or two is of the highest value. Stables
should be constructed with reference to
sunlight, and long narrow wings for sta
bles, both for horses and cattle, have in
this particular great advantage over
basement stables under the whole barn,
as the former may have windows for. the
admission of sunlight and air throughout
their entire length.
Sixth.-Give all animals free access !
salt. With plenty of feed, horses and
sheep will stand any degree of dry cold
States and Canada. Neat cattle iced
more protection, and it is really cruel to
expose them unprotected to winter
weather. Swine need thoroughly warm
dry quarters in winter, and will hardly
survive exposure such as other domestic
animals viii bear perfectly well. So with
poultry-while turkeys will bear the
seVerest storms and cold rOosting IN the
most exposed positions, fowls seek shelter
either of thick evergreens, or houses, and
ducks and geese the protection of the
manure pile or the hay stack. In shell.
tering all animals and poultry, which we
do from motives of economy, it Is we'll q
bear in mind their natural instincts, thar
those which need it most are best. pro
REHABILITATION AgTicaltttgist.
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