Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-27
FOOD FOR STOCK.

Experimenting with foods and man
ners az feeding is a very uncertain bus
mess because of the many difficulties
met with in the variations in the ami
mails. methods, materials, and the cir
cumstances of each case. Whether
grain food is best given whole. ground
or cooked is a question that is impor-
tant in several ways, and has been in
consequence very much studied and
tested and made the subject OF a great
many experiments. But SO far, not
withstanding all that has been done in
this direction, we can not say with any
certainty which of the three methods
of feeding grain to any kind OF farm
animals is the best. and still expert
ments are being made and the usual
contradictory reports are published.
Ali this is derogatory to scientific re-
search and weakens the public
faith il scientific experiments.
This is a very unfortunate result,
because the value of such research
into the mysteries of agricultural prac-
tice is not to be doubted, and in the
end it is only by such Investigations
We can hope to reach the final truth,
which, as said by the old adage. seems
to lie at the bottom of very deep
well.
The experiments made in the use of
whole grain and long fodder. however,
seem to be conclusive that this prac-
tice is wasteful. Practically, for the
sake of economy. horses are almost
universally fed upon cut hay and
straw and ground grain, where cheap
ness of feeding is an item of prime
consideration. And as far as this kind
of livestock is concerned. it may be
accepted as the final conclusion that
this kind of feeding is better for the
animals and saves from one-fourth to
one-third of the cost of feeding.
For feeding cows and beeves it is al
so well proved that the use of ground
grain and cut fodder is economical
in about the same degree as it is
for horses. But the question of part
ly cooking the food or of ma
terially softening it in steam or hot
water is still in allegiance, although it
has been tried with good results by
many farmers. In nearly every case
the practice has been abandoned, not
withstanding those who have tried it
have expressed much satisfaction with
the results. We have ourselves made
an extended trial of it through two
winters feeding, but, after all. gave it
up because of the bother of it, which
was not paid for by the profit. 1t was
a case in which circumstances were
against it, rather than that the practice
was not in itself desirable. So that for
feeding all kinds of cattle. it may be
taken as practically settled that ground
grain is better than whole grain, and
except for the final finishing of fat
beeves, cut fodder mixed with the meal
is the most profitable feeding. Even
for Western beeves it has been found
that ground grain with bran and Oil
meals is more profitably fed than
whole grain, although the rough
ness is more cheaply fed in its
natural condition. The old practice
of feeding beeves in the corn
fields, following them with swine, is
unquestionably bad one, as being OPP
posed to all sanitary rules, especially
for the hogs, while the losses of cattle
from various diseases due to indiges-
ton, mal-nutrition, or fungus poison
ing, as black quarter (bloody MUIR
rain). splenic fever, ergotism and
gangrene, and impaction of the rumen
(dry murrain) are too serious to be
borne in business in which profits
are slender and by no means certain.
As regards sheep. no expert has yet
advocated the cutting or preparing of
food in any way. These animals do
heir own cutting and grinding better
and cheaper than it can be done for
hem, and they thrive better, as the
digestion is more healthful when fed |
upon long fodder and whole grain.
Swine, on the contrary. seem to be
disposed to food that has
been as perfectly prepared for diges-
ton as is possible. The hog is pro- |
fuse eater. and has small stomach;
its digestive powers are very large. |
and as it is required to make |
The most increase of weight from the !
east food, the food should be made as |
palatable and digestible as possible.
It is unquestionable that cooked food,
that containing much starch,
IS more digestible than the same food |
IN a raw state. Corn and potatoes are |
made more digestible by cooking. be- |
cause the starch cells are broken and |
the starch changed in character and |
made more soluble. For swine the |
is. theoretically, equivalent to
partial digestion. for the action of the !!
moist heat has some of the chemical |
effects of the saliva secreted and mixed |
with the food during the process of |