Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1886-03-15

Suggestions on the Proper Care Of
Animals During the Winter
Season.
The Marketing, transportation, and Dlstri-
button OF Apples Very Poorly Con-
Quoted.


gain in weight or condition during the
winter. In many cases they weigh
less in the sprin q than they did the
previous fail. The mortality among
them is much greater during the cold
than the warm weather, and the cases
of sickness are more numerous rs well
as severe. Horses generally come
through the winter in good condition
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
cd. They are kept in warm stalls
even il the other farm animals are left
exposed to storms, are carefully
grOOmed, and covered with blankets
when il is very cold, and are fed on
the best the farm and granary can
supply They are not exposed to the
cold for any considerable length of
time for the purpose of obtaining
water, aud in many cases water is
brought to them il the weather is very
cold. Farm horses as rule, do very
little work during the winter, and ac-
cordingly have an opportunity to re-
cuperate 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 to have their
stock cattle and sheep gain much dur
ing the long and severe winters that
are common here. They should en-
deavOr, however. to make them "hold
their own" They should not allow
them to run down on their hands.
Thcy should DO worth as much for any
purpose in the spring rs they were in
the preceding fall. They should be in
best condition to gain in flesh when
the grass first starts in the pastures.
They should require no nursing dur
ing March and April. They should
be something more than ''skin and
bones" when the frost leaves the
ground and vegetation begins to show
signs of life. They should be we'll
covered with flesh, sound. vigorous,
and strong. Their bodies should he
free from insects that cause constant
annoyance and prepare the way for
disease. They should return to the
pastures in as 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 it. 1t should not require
month or six weeks time in a good
pasture to enable them to recruit.
They should need no recruiting and
require no bringing up to q good
healthy condition.
Farm animals rarely suffer for want
of sufficient food during the winter,
long as it ordinarily is. Hay of excel
lent quality is ordinarily plenty and
cheap. Throughout the corn growing
regions there is an abundance of fod-
der, If pains were taken to preserve it
before it was injured by the frost.
The large acreage of small grains sup
ply very large amount of straw.
There is generally an abundance of
corn. oats, and other grains suitable
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
west with very rare exceptions, have
sufficient amount of food during the
winter, aud the quality Of it is gener-
ally very good. Their diet however,
might be improved If there was great
er variety. An occasional feed of tur-
nips, beets, carrots or cabbage would
be of great advantage to them. They
would aid digestion and give the ami
mails better appetite to eat dry straw
aud hay. A partial diet of ensilago
would be very desirable for change.
Still farm animals in the northwest
would ordinarily pass through the
Winter in good condition on the food
they have il their other wants were