The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-06-24
STOCK IN SUMMER.
Why Animals Should Be Supplied witt
Good Water and Plenty of Shade.

why Animals Should BE Supplied With
Good Water and Plenty of Shade.
1t will not be out of place to call at
tention, as we have sometimes done be-
fore, to the absolute necessity OF furn-
ishing pure water to the stock. It need
not be said that many animals never see
a drop of pure water from the beginning
to the end of the summer. There may
be in the pasture a stagnant pond which
supplies all the water that the COW or
other animal in pasture ever gets.
There are some thoughtful stockmen
who object even to running streams as
a water supply, and there are serious
objections to them. There is little doubt
that diseases are often spread through
such means, but perhaps the dangers
and objections do not outweigh the ben
efts. But it is both reckless and cruel
to compel our animals to drink stagnant
and polluted water. They can not do it
with impunity. Impure water does
an i~ncalculable amount of harm in
this world, much greater harm than is
imagined. The water in many of u
cities is a veritable death messenger,
and hundreds, especially children, die
annually from drinking bad water; and
the truth is that a great many children
die who are poisoned by milk which
comes from COWS that are all the time
drinking impure water. So far as mich
cows are concerned the results of their
drinking impure water could not well be
worse. The health is affected in the
first place. If it is not it is marvellous;
and if it is the milk must be affected.
In the next place the bad water has
a direct influence upon the milk.
Another matter to which we have
often called attention, and concerning
which we have had some controversy
in the past, is the necessity of furnish
ing shade in the pasture, when it is pos
sible to do SO. 1t is not only cruel to
compel a COW to roam or stand under
a blazing hot sun all day, but it is not
good policy; it is not profitable, and
good common sense will sustain that
assertion. The DIRECTORS to shade say
that the COW will become lazy and cease
! to eat grass. Now no one who will
provide the animal shade will ever have
any such reason for complaint of her
| flow of milk. Whenever there is any
such reaso for complaint it will be
time enough to object to shade, though
eve then human feelings should be
sufficient to lead to providing shade.
The COW will do better with shade, as
any one will learn if he will try it.
Without it she will not utilize the food
she consumes as completely as she will
| with it. The blood of an unprotected
GOV is heated to a disastrously high
temperature. That in itself is detri-
mental. But such a condition produces
something that to say the least verges
close upon a feverish state, and that is
disease. Further than that no COW that
suffers discomfort can do as well as one
that does not.
Time and again has the advice been
given, keep the COW quiet and make her
comfortable. 1t has been good advice,
too. The study of the dairyman should
be how best and most carefully to ac-
complish this purpose. The cow is a
very excitable animal, and unless she is
made comfortable she will not and can
not do her best. Do not let the dogs
and the boys chase her; do not let the
men scold her; do not let anybody
abuse her and do not permit dogs even
to bark near, are among the good advice
that is often given to the COW owner. Why
is such advice goodP Because such things
worry the animal and thus impair hel
usefulness. But we pretend to say that
there is no cause for excitement and
worriment that will surpass the expos.
ure of the COW to the hot sun for ten OF
eleven hours while the thermometer il
among the nineties.- Western Rural