Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-04-17
LIVE STOCK.

mal upon the farm SnOulQ % subjected
to a course Of training as soon as it
makes its appearance. This is desir-
able. and, indeed, indispensable for
the best results, with all live stock,
from the chickens to the colts. Docility
involves ease of management IN every
way. and this saves labor and increases
the profits from the use of the animals.
In a dairy, docility is n Of tho most
important characteristics OF the COWS.
and the dairyman who has experienced
the advantage of it, will always give
his most careful attention to the train
ing Of the calves. WEAVING is the first
lesson to be given. A calf should
never be permitted to suck the COW.
This enforced habit changes-in time
the disposition of those young cows,
which never having sucked u calf,
and never having been nursed by a
dam themselves, make no trouble over
the removal Of q calf. They never
hold up their milk, and are rarely
troubled with garget, OF have the COM
mon vices of cows which grow out Of
their natural affection for the calf,
after they have been habituated to its
company, and have nursed it. My
practice has always been to remove
the calf as soon as it is dropped, watch
ing the cow until she has been safely
delivered. The calf is taken to O. pen
provided for it at a distance from the
COW stable, where it is out of sight and
hearing. The calf is rubbed dry, and
comfortably bedded in this sheltered
pen. The COW is tied in the stable and
given a mess of warm bran and linseed
meal slop, and is MIXED. The milk is
then given to the calf. which is taught
to drink by giving it two fingers, sep
arated about an inch, through which
the milk is easily sucked. Three meals
a day are given. This is continued
until she fourth day, when the milk is
fit for use in the dairy. After this,
skinned milk warmed to ninety de-
grees is given three times a day, and
no more than three quarts at a meal
during the first month. The calves
are kept alone; a small bundle of
clean. fine hay may be hung in the pen,
and they will soon begin to eat it. BY
perseverance, in thus weaving the calf,
not only from its dam, but from its
natural inclination to suck, much
future trouble will be avoided.
Battle the horses shoulders with cold
water Or brine as quick as tho collars
come off before the sweat begins to
dry, and rub off the collars and saddle
pieces with a moist cloth. This will
prevent sore shoulders. All changes
Of food should be gradual, but in pro.
portion to the work. Heavily taxed
muscles make demands on the stom'
ach; hence. increase the feed after
work begins-never in anticipation. A
horse fed up before he is called tc
work gets soft and fat. Be careful t.
protect horses from drafts when warm
rub down, blanket. or let them stanC
in close stables. Cows at calving need
little care. the less the better if in &
loose box or the open field. ''Fussing'
over them is always provocative Of in
Jury. Give no grain, but a loosenine
diet of bran and roots for some days,
and gradually increase feed as feverisE
symptoms pass away. Keep calves
growing thrifty; skim-milk with % lit
tie linseed meal scalded and added to
it as a substitute for the cream, is jusI
AS good to them as whole milk fec
from the pail.
Sheep must be kept in dry yards OF
there will be danger to thoir feet. Ewes
with lambs should have grain daily, al
least until they come to pasture.
Swine.-Those who buy young pigs
for feeding should buy none but half
bloods by a Berkshire, Yorkshire, Pol
and or other pure sire. They grow
faster and fatten with less feed.
Poultry.-Reduce the stock of fowls
as soon as this years hatch is well pro-
vided for, but hold on to old turkeys
and old geese, they get used to tine
way of the farm and are worth much
more as breeders than young ones
Duck also are good till three years old,
A turkey is in her prime at tive, and q
goose at twenty.
Colts should be kept growing from
tho first. and taught to eat oats at an
early age. When weaned ut five or SIX
months old, the milk of a good COW
for six months longer would give the
colt a very good start. Besides this,
he should have a few quarts OF oats
daily, with a plenty of good sweet
early-cut hay, Glover. timothy or red
top), with an occasional feed OF good
straw. There should be rock salt &C
cessible at all times, and good running
or spring water, an occasional feed OF
carrots. This treatment, with good
warm quarters and plenty OF room for
exercise, without being too much ex-
posed to the rigors of a northern win
ter, would give the breeder a yearline
of which, providing his breeding is al
right, he need not be ashamed. and m
animal worth much more than the av'
erage two-year-olds, being both larger
an finer. Oats are a most excellent
food for colts, as they give muscle,
size and style. An occasional feed OF
carrots in winter is almost essential to
the animals health. As a substitute
for carrots, boiled ilaxseed is very
good. In iacx VI either. an occasional
bran-mash is almost Indispensable, az
the bowels require to be kept gently
open. When the mare is worked OF
driven while sucking the colt. Rres,
care should be used to prevent it from