Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-09-25
ECONOMY IN FEEDING.

True economy consists not so much in
saving the feeding material as in utilizing
that which often is wasted. Each partlcu-
lar breed of animals is capable of assisting
to appropriate that which is often discarded
or overlooked as valueless, and the lack OF
the proper preparation of the various foods
often deprives farmers of the use of valua-
BILE material. One of the best foods for
horses is corn fodder, but it should be har-
vested, cured and fed in different manner
from that usually practiced. There are sew
eral methods pursued by economical farm
ers in feeding corn fodder, and even the
stalks, to horses. The first is to collect from
the stalks while they stand in the, field,
about the time the grain is ripe, the blades
only, which are tied in small bundles and
allowed to cure on the standing stalks.
Such fodder never becomes dusty, and is re-
garded as excellent food for horses afflicted
with heaves. The race horses were, in
times past allowed no other kind of bulky
food, owing to it's clean condition and nour-
ishing qualities. When the whole stalks,
leaves included, are finely cut, crushed and
moistened and made palatable with ground
grain, which is mixed with the cut food, 1T
makes suitable food without the necessity of
feeding hay with it. Oats, when cut in the
milky state, may be fed to horses without
thrashing out the grain, as the straw and
grain combined is highly relished, there
being more nourishment in the straw when
it is cut with the grain in the milky condl-
ton.
For the COW there are many kinds of food
that may be prepared from that which is
wasted. Wheat straw may be cut into short
lengths and mixed with other material to
advantage. In fact, any kind of bulky ma
terial is accepted by the cow when it is sea-
soned with other food of a concentrated char
acter. The sheep finds plenty of work COL
lecting subsistence from weeds and grasses
that are of no value and the hog, is especially
fond of purslaine, plantaine and some OF the
rank growing weeds. Any plant that grows
out of it's allotted place is weed, but 1t may
be said that weeds may at times be consld-
cred valuable crops when they can be profit
ably utilized. There is not an animal on
any farm that will not assist in converting
useless matter into salable or serviceable
material The principal point to be observ-
ed in feeding all the material on farm is
to properly prepare it. If this is done the
good and the inferior may be emade to prove
Jointly more remunerative than if the best
be used exclusively. Even clover and tim
othV hav. which is considered the most suit
able bulky food for stock, may be still
further improved by proper preparation.
Roots, which are absolutely indispensable
to thrift, can be increased in value for feed
ing by preparation, and there is no crop
grown that should have any portion wasted.
The annual loss from tramping by the feet
of animals is very large, and this is occa-
stoned by not cutting it up finely. 1t does
not pay to utilize inferior material for ma
nure as long as it can be passed through the
body of the animal, where it may not only
assist in adding nourishment but also be.
come subject to disintegration by action of
the digestive organs. Economy more than
repays the cost and adds largely to the
profits, not only from the crops but the
stock also.