St. Landry democrat., 1885-02-07
a GOOD SUBSTITUTE.
Something to Take the Place of Hay in
Feeding Cattle.

|
| Feeding Cattle.
There are quite large number OF
localities in the West where, owing to
drouth last summer, there is but a very
scant supply of hay, or other coarse fod-
der. 1t can be obtained at a compare
lively low price in sections where the
crop was abundant, but to have it
shipped as local freight brings it up to
figure that few farmers wish or can
afford to pay. Corn is cheap and can
readily be procured, but neither cattle,
horses nor sheep can thrive upon it
alone; they must have some coarse,
bulky food roughness" as it is called
in addition.
Straw is sometimes used as a substi-
| tute for hay, but unless it is bright and
clean, stock will eat very little of it.
| Fed in its rough state much of it is
wasted. and what little is eaten seems
to have no beneficial effect upon the
stock.
Some years since friend of mine
found himself with twelve head Of
young cattle on hand, in mid-winter,
and no hay, straw, or coarse food of any
kind, though he had good supply OF
corn. The cattle could not be sold ex-
! cept at a great sacrifice, and hay was
not to be obtained for less than twenty
five dollars per ton. Knowing that he
could make profit of fifteen dollars on
each head of the cattle if he could keep
them in fair condition until grass came
in, at a cost not exceeding that OF keep
ing them on hay at the ordinary price.
he set his wits to work to devise means
| by which it could be done.
The first thing he did was to buy the
only stack of straw to be obtained IN
the neighborhood. This he hauled
home and slowed away in his barn.
Next, he bought a feed-cutter. Then
he took a load of corn to the mill and
exchanged it for meal. Having ar
ranged his feed racks SO that loose
grain could be fed in them without loss,
he began his experiment.
A quantity of the straw was run
through the cutter and cut into lengths
of one-half inch. Itwas then sprinkled
with water and shaken up until it was
quite wet, then half bushel of meal
and handful of salt were added, and
the whole stirred and mixed until the
meal was evenly distributed throughout
the entire mass.
The cattle were fed with this material
twice aday, the first few meals being
light to prevent cloying; afterward
they received as much as they would
eat up clean. Twice a week bran and
oatmeal in equal quantities were sub
stituted for the corn-meal, and mixed
with the straw in the same manner.
The cattle ate this mixture with avid
Try, thriYed upon it, and came out in the
spring smooth, healthy and vigorous,
and in just the right condition to derive
the full benefit of grass pasturage. The
straw was Wheat-straW of only medium
quality.
A poor quality Of hay may be treat
ed in the same manner, and made to
answer as well as that in prime condi-
ton. Good, bright oat straw, cut and
primed with bran and corn-meal in
equal quantities, ma6es first-rate feed
for either cattle or sheep-much bet
ter than most graded as No. 2.
If the farmers who find themselves
short of hay this winter can obtain a
supply "a Sh6W ASSbA W 1U d 1SeSoo4A
able price, they can, by adopting the
method of my friend, bring their cat
tie and sheep safely through the winter
at very moderate cost, and thus
avoid the inevitable sacrifice of forced
sale,
The points to be observed are as fol.
lows: Gauge the quantity of meal by
the number of animals, cut the straw
fine, wet all of it so that the meal will
adhere to it, mix thoroughly and salt
sparingly. Give no more each day than
they will clean up. Corn-meal bran,
oatmeal, cotton seed-meal or oil cake
meal may be used for printing, The
ployed carefully w 7. Examiner.