Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-10
Considerations Of Importance in Feed.
ing

A good feeder is not necessarily the
man who, having an abundance in his
crib, throws into the feeding-box ac-
cording to the abundance ON hand. 70
build up living organism with success
and without Interruptions, hence with
profit, is something different from what
the average farm hand is capable of
doing correctly. AS regards economic
ing food, much. of course, depends
upon the market value of this, vet not
so much as might at first sight appear,
because corn at low price is quite
likely to go hand in hand with low
priced beef. And when beef is low in
price, no man can make much profit in
feeding. This condition, it is true, may
be better under this state of things than
it would otherwise be, through the mod
crate prices on articles he is compelled
to buy, as low-priced corn and meat are
quite likely to be accompanied by mod
crate prices on some, if not all the
necessaries of life.
One of the principal factors IN the
gain made by fattening animal is
comfort. Discomfort makes war upon
the vital forces, and these being sus-
tanned only through nutriment con-
sumed, it follows that the less the dis
comfort the less the waste of food.
Hence, to reason that, as winter is over,
animals can now be left without shelter
that have heretofore had protection, is
wrong from every point of view. The
outer hide and hair, protected through
the winter, will be doubly sensitive to
cold and wet if exposed during storms
in early April. Comfort is the cri-
terion as to probable thrift, and any
weather that domestic animal can not
remain out in without showing discom
fort, it should not be exposed to.
Animals in the natural state-we re-
fer to domestic animals having their
freedom upon the farm--eat regularly
and with a degree of moderation,
hence are not liable to the re-
pletion which comes to the feed
ing beast induced to eat immoder-
ately. While artificial stimulation
may, under certain conditions, and
within certain limits, prove helpful,
still we can not always be assured that
no disorder will occur to interrupt nu-
triton. Artificial conditions, when
brought to bear upon the living ami
NAL, so change it from accustomed in
tluences that, so far as the fatteninp
beast is concerned, it requires good
management to insure that it will 90
through to the end of its short journey,
the butchers block, in good, healthy
condition, and yield profit.
All men who feed stock can not be
expected to study physiology, though
its principles are brought into requisi-
ton every day, and it is really as neces-
sary that the living machine be under
stood, that they may conduct their BUSH
ness successfully, as that the engineer,
to be an expert with the engine, be
infinitely acquainted with its every part
One of the lessons easily learned in
every feeding lot is, that the chilling
weather of early spring tells upon ex-
posed cattle more than the dry, frosty
air of a cold winter. If shelter, dry
bedding and painstaking care are re-
quired at one season more than an
other, that time is very likely to come
in the early months of spring. The
tality of farm animals will 90 down in
the scale more rapidly when the atmos-
phere is charged with a damp, depress-
ing chill than when the mercury is well
down below the freezing point and the
air clear and dry.
While by analysis, and through ex-
perience in feeding, it has been often
proved that corn leads all of the farm
grown grains in making flesh, still it is
equally well-known that as the extreme
cold disappears a mixture, made up of
the lighter grains, shorts, and bran,
with little oil meal added, will bring
better results than corn alone, though,
chemically, it may be superior to the
combined foods.
No man can feed successfully until
he has learned to vary the food accord
ing to the condition of his animals, Civ
ingtrest to the digestive organs as oc-
casion calls. When in good condition
it is safe to calculate that a fattening
beast will bear a pound of grain per
day for each hundred pounds of its own
live weight. 1t will consume more than
this in cold weather, because no incon-
siderable amount is required to keep up
successful battle with the outside
temperature. From early spring till |
grass comes, it should be made rule
that the gain be more rapid than
during the extreme cold of winter. That
gain can be made if due care be taken.
The conditions. in some important re-
CARDS, will be more under control than
heretofore during the winter.
There is double inducement to ex-
ert great vigilance in adding to the |
daily gain, namely, Q) the gain in
pounds at that time in the history of the |
beast when his weight upon the scales |
is approaching his highest value per
pound; ca the advantage of the in
creased feshiness-ripeness-as an inn
portant factor in increasing the price of |
his weight per pound. Then, too, the
manure-and no farm anywhere is so |
good that it does not need all the manure |
made upon it's rich, hence valuable,
in the ratio of the richness of the food |
given and its quantity. The matured
bullock carries less away from the
productive element in the soil than does
the load of wheat or other grain sold
off the farm, dollar for dollar of value.
Yet he does carry something, in fact no
inconsiderable amount of bone and flesh
elements; but bear in mind that he |
leaves no inconsiderable substance be-
hind him in the form of manure, while |