Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-08-04
COMMON-SENSE FEEDING.
One of the Most Costly and Cruel Habits
That Farmers Have.

That Farmers Have.
When many IA man sees, rs he does
see, that animals that go on grass
in a weakly and sick condition, at oncc
improve. as they do often, it ought to
be sufficient to dictate a better way Of
winter feeding than is entirely too
common. Our animals are fed all
winter, in thousands of cases, upon
dry, concentrated food, and, in one
way or another, in spring they show
the effects of it. The owner feels that
he must do something, and often il is
necessary to give medicines at once.
But as soon AS the grass comes stop the
medicines, in ordinary cases ut least,
and turn them into the pasture. At
first the grass will lack nutritious
qualities, and it may sometimes bs
necessary to feed even a sick animal
something in addition. Animals that
are not diseased ought to have some
thing besides the very young grass.
But a sick animal will often be greatly
benefited by stinting it in diet, and in
such cases il may need nothing more
than what the imperfect young grass
will give. If We h&d an animal that
was out OF condition, or in
any disease short of being
or verging upon "A desperate case, we
should turn it upon grass as soon as
grass comes, and give it IA trial before
resorting to medical treatment. We
feel that we can not say too often that
the custom of feeding for months prin-
cipally upon corn is one of the most
costly habits that farmers have. It is
positively injurious to the animal. and
to every animal that is compelled thus
to live. Sometimes we do not see the
evil effects, but we may be sure that
they exist, for such a course of feed
ing is in violation of natures laws,
and they can not be violated without
paying the penalty. But we do see
the effects in thousands of cases, and
see them often enough in our own
herds TO suggest the wisdom of reform
in our feeding methods.
1t ought not to be difiult to see what
the result OF constantly feeding a dry,
iat-producing food Is. Leaving out of
The question altogether the fact that
by such feeding n part of the system,
ind the most important part, too, gets
no nourishment, or scarcely any, the
natural tendency of fat-prOducing,
concentrated dry foods is toward an
impairment of the digestive functions,
The system must have moisture. II
we deprive the system of all moist.
ure the animal would die. But fur.
nishing it with plenty of moisture
in the shape of clear water is not th,
best way. Experience shows that i,
is better to furnish at least part of the
moisture needed incorporated in tn,
food. 1t is for this reason that greer
grasses are so valuable, or at least i,
Is a principal reason. 1t is for thi,
reason that roots are so valuable ms ,
food, In place of medicines, therefore
In many cases we would advise grass
There is one class, however, that III,
farmer often finds it hard to treat AS W,
have suggested. They are the case,
OF horses that are needed for work. II,
feels that he u not spare a horse 70,
a week or two that it may run upo,
grass. Well. u sick horse, II it is YER,
sick, should not be worked, and IN,
way to treat a sick animal is ALWAYS I,
treat him the best way, II n week O
two weeks, or u month is the best wa,
to cure him, that is the way to trea
him. The work must be left TO h
taken care OF in some other way. IN
less we value the life and usefulness n
the animal so little that we do not car
about saving him. Humanity, how
ever, even then should prompt us I,
exercise mercy. We do moi mean h,
any thing that we have said to conve'
the idea that all stock should be turne
upon grass too early. In doing IN,
people often make amistake. - Wests,,
Rurak