The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-08-21
SOIL.
The Influence which Its Character Has on
Farm Animals

The Influence which Its Character Has on
Farm Animals
It would be profitable and interest
ing to know just what influence the
character of the soil upon which their
food grew. and over which their drink
ran. had upon the growth of farm ami
mails. The most important simple ele-
ment which enters into the compost
ton of bone is lime. Its two COM
pounds-carbonate of lime and phos-
phate of lime constitute two-thirds OF
the emit re substance of the bones, and
above ninety per cent. of their earthly
substance. Hence certain amount of
lime in the food. and comparatively a
large amount, is necessary to thrifty
osseous development. In limestone re-
gions this amount OF lime would rare
", if ever, be lacking. Although
plants exercise their power OF selection
of food. they take up more lime where
lime is abundant IN the soil than where
it is scant.. This is very apparent in
the grains of our cereals, and is notice
able in the culms or stalks as well.
Also. where the soil is q lime
stone one, the water flowing from it. or
over it, is strongly impregnated with
lime-is what we call hard" In
other localit es there is very little lime
in the soil, no limestone having been
disintegrated to aid in its formation.
In such localities the grasses and
grains will contain less lime. and the
water will be devoid of it, or ''soft. J"
1t is easily understood that in the
former localities animals will make q
more rapid bony growth. The East
Tennesseeans are tall and bony. and
their large bone development Is at
tributed by all Psychologists to the
limestone soil. insuring a large amount
of lime in their food and drink. Why
should not the same effect be produced
on their domestic animals? 1t is but
reasonable to suppose that their cattle
and hogs would be bony. as they are.
A Short-horn transported when small
calf from Illinois, would lose Its
smoothness and rotundity of form and
become bony and angular. 1t would
no longer be a good Short-horn;
and its degeneration would be occa-
SlOncU Dy the SOIL.
1t follows that where the soil con-
tains small amount of lime. food and
grass may not contain enough of this
bone element for thrifty development
of the skeleton. and the lime will have
to be supplied from outside sources.
Here is matter of practical iInpor-
lance to the stockmen in the richest
agricultural sections OF the country.
particularly on the prair;es OF the
West, where the soil is deficient in
lime. Where the food and drink is
lacking in lime, the animals will put on
flesh and fat, but fail to develop bone
in proportion. The calf will become a
'.sunfish. and the pig fiat runt. "
The fact that such calves and pigs are
quite common IN prairie sections. and
are much more common in such sec
tons than in limestone regions, cor
roborates this view of the case. Stock
men who possess soil of a character
lacking lime, frequently complain that
calves and pigs eat well. are apparent
" in good health. are fat and yet dc
not grow. Clearly this is be-
cause they can not get stiffic eni
material tor bone build Ing. This can
be remedied by q change in the food
perhaps; or else by giving lime direct
1t is a curious fact that when an ami
NAL shows a disposition to become q
fat runt, the course of feeding is SURF
to be changed to increase the evil,
Grass, clover and straw-rough feed
are lessened in amount or altogether
discarded. and the animal is fed more
milk, meal or roots. That such is the
case we shall see: Later experience
observation and study have shown thai
it is not the phosphate of lime as {
whole that is lacking, as was formerly
supposed, but the lime itself; phos
phoric acid usually ex sting in sufficient
quantities in the food. Now in bon,
there are for 100 parts of phosphorit
&C d 120 parts of lime. In corn mea
the ratio is as 100 to Is; bran, 100 to 6
cottonseed meal. 100 to 8; mangolds
100 to A; milk, 100 to so: while il
hay of the grasses the rat o is 100 K
| 220; in clover 100 to $50. ard whea
straw 100 to 120. 1t will be seen tina
in meal. bran. cottonseed. mangolds
milk, ETC.. there is deficiency o
lime, while in the hay of tn,
grasses and clover there is an ex
cess. Now when an ANNA show,
by its growth that it is not gettins
enough lime. instead of feeding 1t NOR
hay or straw. it is fed less of these an,
fed more meal, roots and milk-th
very foods to increase the evil. !
stockmen understood this matter bet
ter. they would not feed a runt al
the milk and meal it can eat an,
drink"
But in many cases the young anima
could not make sufficient gain if fe,
mostly on hay or straw. While it woul,
gam somewhat in bone it would los
in flesh and fat In such cases. grain
roots and milk must be fed, and the de
ficiency of lime in these be made goo,
by feeding it direct Since. it is linn
and not the phosphate of lime whicl
is lacking. q piece of chalk vii
answer the purpose just as well as tn
expensive prepared phosphate. i
other than limestone regions. l woul'
recommend that . piece OF chalk b
kept in the troughs with the salt, tina
the animals may lick it whenever the,
dosiro IN do So When an auiyua