Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-12-27
STRAW FOR Cattle
Ono Of the Most Important Iteus I
Ecsnomical Feeding.

ODO Of the Most Important Items h
Economical Feeding.
Tho usual plan Of feeding out wheat
or oat straw Is to turn the stock into
the stacks Or ricks and then let them
help themselves. When this is done
considerable is trampled down and
wasted. Like corn fodder. because it
is q cheap feed very little care Is
taken to save and feed out econom-
ically. Scattering corn fodder upon
the ground and allowing the stock to
tramp!e it under feet. and turning
stock into the straw-stacks to help
themselves. belong to the same style
Of feeding. Because they are cheap is
hardly sufficient reason for allowing
them to be wasted. Straw, if proper
~ stacked. makes good rough feed
for the winter. 1t is not q complete
food by any means. but, used in con-
nection with other materials, can be
made to help out the farmers consid-
erably. The more feed that can be
secured upon the farm the moro stock
can be kept, and the more stock the
larger the quantity of manure that
can be made and saved. and the more
manure the larger the yield of the
crops. and this in turn increases the
amount of iced.
1t is quite an item to feed stock
economically. In doing this they
should be kept in good. thrifty con-
ditiOn. on as small an amount of feed
as possible, and often by using what
are considered cheap materials, as
straw and corn fodder, the cost may be
still further reduced. With plenty of
straw the amount of corn fodder nee
essary to winter the stock can be re-
duced one-half, and the stock be kept
in fully as good a condition, as the two
will make better food than either one
alone.
One of the best ways az feeding
straw SO that the largest amount Of
benefit can be secured is to use cut
ting-box and cutting equal parts of
straw and clover hay and then adding
about one-eighth the weight of bran.
mixing thoroughly together and feed
ing.
This is more work, but the straw in
this way can be made to equal hay,
and the increased value of the feed for
stock will pay well for the work. Dur
ing the winter the greater part Of the
work necessary to be done is the
proper feeding out of the farm prod
ucts and caring for the stock.
It is important to keep the stock in
a good thrifty condition. If no shelter
but straw stack is afforded consider
able grain will be needed, or the stock
will come out poorer in the spring than
they were in the fall. This is waste,
not only of feed but of animal growth.
But with good shelter very little
grain will be necessary.
Corn fodder, straw and hay, with
sheaf oats and bran, combinations
can be made that will keep stock in a
better condition and at the same time
reduce the cost. Straw, both wheat
and oats. where these two crops are
grown. will form an important item
in economical feeding. But because
they are cheap is not sufficient reason
for wasting. And it is questionable
whether at any time during the winter
it is good economy to turn stock into
a field of feed and let them help them
selves. The best plan is always to
feed out, giving them whatever
quantity they will eat up clean. This
avoids waste and enables the farmer
to keep more stock. And often when
it can be done combinations can be
made that will lessen the cost and in
a majority of cases increase the value.
Western PoUman.