The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-12-18
FARM MANAGEMENT.

FAk0 MANAGEAENT.
Suggestions OH the Proper Care Of
ANIMALS During the Winter
Season.
The Marketing. Transportation, and Dlstri-
button OF Apples Very Poorly Con-
Quoted.
Care Of Stock in Wiutcr.
As rule cattle and sheep do not
gain in weight or condition during the
winter. In many cases they weigh
less in the spring than they did tho
previous fall. Tho mortality among
Them is much greater during the cold
than the warm weather. and tho cases
Of sickness are more numerous as we'll
rs severe. Horses generally come
through the winter in good condit on
in respect to flesh and strength, not
because they are more hardy than
cattle and sheep, for the reverse is
true, but because they are better treat
ed. They are kept in warm stalls
even ii the other farm animals are LETT
exposed to storms, arc carefully
groomed, and covered with blankets
when it is very cold, and are fed on
the beat the farm and granary can
supply. They aro not exposed to tho
cold for any considerable length of
time for tho purpose of obtaining
water. and in many cases water IS
brought to them if the weather is very
cold. Farm horses rs u rule, do very
little work during the winter, and ac-
eordingly have an opportunity to re-
ruperate their strength: Ordinarily
/ they perform only enough work to
afford them suitable exercise. For
these reasons horses. though tender
animals generally. come through the
winter in much better condition than
cattle and sheep.
Perhaps farmers in the northern
states should not expect 10 have Their
stock cattle and sheep gain much dur
ing the long AMI severe winters that
are common here. They should en-
dcavor, however. IL make tlom .h0ld
their own" They should not allow
them to run down on their hands.
They should be worth rs much for any
the preceding fall. They should be in
best condition to gain in flesh when
the grass first starts in the pastures.
They should rcquire no Aursing dur
Ing MARCH and April They should
lo something more than "skin and
bones when the frost leaves THO
ground and vegetation begins to show
Signs OF life. They should he we'll
covered with flesh. sound. vigorous,
and strong. Their bodies should be
free from insects that cause constant
annoyaGce and prepare the way tor
disease. they SHOULD return to the
pastures in ns good condition as the
birds that return from the distant
south. They should be in sufficiently
good condition to enjoy life and to
profit by il. 1t should not require y
month or six weGks' tlne in = good
pasture to enable them 10 recruit.
They should need no recruiting an'i
require no bringing up to u good
healthy condition.
Farm animals rarely suffer for want
Of sufficient food during the winter,
long Us it ordinarily is. Hay of excel
lent quality is ordinarily plenty and
cheap. Throughout tho corn growing
regions there is IN abundance of fod-
der, if pains were taken 10 preserve it
before it was injured by the frost.
The large acreage of small grains sup
pig :. very large amount of straw.
There is generally NJ abundance OF
corn, oats, anu other grams suiiabls
for feeding to stock. Some animals in
the northwest consume more valuable
food during the winter than similar
animals do in any part OF the entire
world. Farm animals in the north
Mast, with very rare exceptions, have
u sufficient amount oil food during the
winter, and the quality Of it ia gener-
ally very good. Their diet. however.
might be improved If there was great
err variety. An occasional feed Of tur-
nips. beets, carrots or cabbage would
be of great advantage to them. They
would aid digestion and give tho ami
malsrl better appetite TO eat dry straw
aud hay. 4 partial diet of cnsilago
would be very desirable for y change.
Still farm animals in the northwest
would ordinarily pass through the
winter IL good condition on the food
they have if their other wants were
better attended to.
The water supply for farm animals
during the winter is much poorer than
the food supply. Tho quality of the
water is often poor and the facilities
for obtaining it very bad. On many
farms animals are Obliged to travel !;
long distance, often through binding
snow-storms to reach u creek. stream,
or pond where they can obtain water
When they have reached the spot they
are obliged to qucnch their thirst witt
impure water that is ice cold. Otter
there is no way of reaching the water
except to cut u hole through the ice
Around this hole the cattle stand wait
ing for a chance te drink. The strong
est take the first drink, whilo tht
weaker and younger creatures wait til
they have become chilled. Some O
the latter slip OH the ice and other.
are hooked about. The feet and Log.
of all tho ANIMALS become covered
with snow and water. which sool
change to ice. In this condition the,
60 back to the barn or feeding yard,
whore they suffer from cold for hours
During very cold weather and OF
stormy days the animals are very re
luctant 10 go to the watering place
They choose to endure thirst rather
than exposure. When they do drinl
they take so much water into theil
stomachs that they are rendered very
uncomfortable.
In many barn-yarls in which there
are wells for supplying stoci-watel
tho arrangement of tho drinking
troughs is very baA. They stant
where tho snow piles about them OF
where q body of leo forms. The oidel
and stronger cattle crowd and hool
the younger and weaker. leo forms
in the troughs and chills tho water
that is brought in to them. On yer,
cold or stormy days the cattle are lei
out to drink but once during eacl
twenty-four hours. They do moi drink
sufficient water to enable them to di
gest the dry food they eat and to keep
in good condition. They often be
come constipated and lose their activi
ty. Water is as essential to the healthy
condition of animals us food is. Me1
and all the inferior animals need Il
drink as often as they eat dry food
Water should be furnished abundant