The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-09
How to Raise Cattle.

J. H. Lane, at Wisconsin Farmers Institute
We should eudeavor to make a calf gain every
day of It's life 1 do not raise many cattle. but
buy and fat quite number during the year.
Last winter fed fourteen head of twoyear-old
steers. weighed them every month for Eve
months. The average gain per day II pound
from the time took them off from pasture until
the LIST of March. They had no hay only corn
and stalks / fed the fourteen head 81 bushels
of corn per day during this time. and after
that. hay and not much
There are few fixed principles that farmer
should keep in mind. First, that it takes a
-tain amount of food to supply tho waste of the
system. If the animal is merely fed what will
supply this waste during the winter9 We have
made no profit but the addition of q small
amount of food will give as a profit.
Another thing that requires atten-
ton Is the warmth and sheltering of our
cattle. 1t is equivalent to food, for one
of the purposes of food lie TO maintain
animal heat and food used for that purpose will
not add muscle or fat. Therefore the warmer
We keep our cattle the more they will repay
for the food they consume by putting more
flesh. The old saying is: San animal well
wintered is half summered." l find cattle well
wintered and fed 20 make little gain
every day will begin to gain rapidly whom turned
out to pasture in the spring, and before the half
starved one has shed its old hair the well-fed
one will be good beef.
Another essep tial thing is properly watering
our cattle believe windmilis a great
detriment to the health of cattle. The water
having the toothache. IF they do manage TO
get some down they stand bumped up all day in
the fence corners. trying to keep their teeth
from falling out NV cattle will not drink out
of the tank. but will come tor water freshly
pumped out of the we'll The better we feed
and care for our cattle the better the manure
pile will be, and the larger that is the better
crops farmers will produce, and the more
they produce the more stock we can keep.
A good many have said to me, II don't see
how you can keep SO many cattle and make it
pay" With the markets the way they have been
for the last four years Il will take the past six
years. claim l have made more money. and
nAn II RNF wvh 10 Gawm hova oh
than from any other branch Of farming, and my
farm Is in better condition to-day than IL was
ak years ago. You can't say that of wheat I
have bought and sold during these elk years l01
head of cattle. / received for them more than
gave, So 145 90. or an average gain of $2I "a
per head, and kepw them from five TO seven
months. Who made the most money, the man
who raised and fed them two years, or I2 You
will say it was not ali profit / think the manure
will pay for the coarse feed and your work.
did not feed much grain. only to keep them
growing, and turned them over TO pasture in
June; besides. ! usually winter from twenty
forty hogs after my cattle. with small addition
of corn, | calculate the above figures to be.
nearly all gain. do not think it pays TO fatten
cattle for the winter market; it takes too much
grain. am feeding shock corn this winter. and
like it very much. was little prejudiced
against it at first. for had idea they would
muss it over aud pick out the corn and leave the
fodder but they eat IL up clean Next season
shall plant fifteen acres thicker than common,
on purpose for cattle Il is great saving,
two men can tie up ten acres in two DAYS; so it
saves tue expense or huekinR. drawing corn.
and carving il from the corn house to feed.
have been experimenting this winter with cut
ting stalks that feed IN the barn. ana am well
pleased with it One common-sized load will
make 800 bushels after it is cut / feed it at
night after the cattle have eaten their shock
corn, giving them a oushel a piece. / feed
twenty-seven bushels at night. aud in the morn
ing there is not over and one half
bushelB left in their hangers. One other thing
/ wish to speak of is kindness. Do not throw
clubs and scare your cattle half to death if they
don't happen TO get out of your way; make it
point to go around them if they are lying down
in the yard, and not give them kick. I have
two steers now that bought this fall that have
been mauled much that their eyes stand right
out of their heads. and every time they go into
stall they will crouch down expecting to get a
pounding. IL you don't like to take OF cat
tie don't raise them, because You cannot make
IL O success.