The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-06
NOVEMBER FARM TOPICS.
THE LIVE STOCK DURING THE WINTER.
An All Important subject-wheat For
Poultry - Milking Trials and Butter
Tests-HousehoId Hints-AmonR the
Poultry-Recipes-F Notes.

Under present conditions, If cattle are
fed to maturity, says a correspondent of
the St. Louis Republic, they must be fed as
economically as possible. During the
growing season this can be done, in a ma
iority of cases. by providing good pastur-
age. But duringthe winter dry feed must
be largely depended upon. 1t does not
pay to stint the feed; while it is necessary
that they should be wintered as economic
ally as possible. this does not imply that
they should be fed only enough to keep
them alive.
If the best profit is realized from the
breeding, feeding and fattening of stock
for market, steady growth must be main
tanned from birth until they are marketed /;
Every day that they are fed and no gain is
made is double loss; at the same time it
is necessary to secure this gain as econom-
ically as possible. One of the most inn
portant items in feeding for profit is good
shelter. A certain degree of animal heat
is necessary to sustain animal life, and
this can be secured at amuch less expense
by providing shelter than by supplying
feed. If shelter is provided, grain must
be fed in order to supply heat; but with
good shelter the amount OF grain neces-
sary TO secure good gain can be materi-
ally reduced.
Corn is the principal dependence of the
western farmer for wintering his stock, and
it is one of the cheapest foods that can be
used, if properly managed. The whole
plant can be utilized and it comes nearer
to making in itself complete ration than
any other one plant. There are few if any
materials that furnish all the elements of
nutrition in the proper proportion to Sc
cure the best gain at the lowest cost; and,
as rule If any one material Is depended
upon a larger quantity will berequired than
if a combination is used. Yet with good
corn and fodder cattle can be kept gaining
steadily, and at a reasonable cost. Hay,
straw and bran can be used to add to the
variety and to make up more complete
ration, and will add little if anything to
the cost.
In winter at least, work is nearly al
ways cheaper than feed; and providing
comfortable shelter, feeding and watering
regularly, and furnishing a variety will
lessen the quantity OF feed requiredto keep
the stock in good thrifty condition.
Growing stock need not be fat; better
health and more rapid gain can be Sc
cured il the stock are not kepttOO lat. Still
less feed will be required If the rough
provender can all be run through cutter.
There is always more or less waste in feed
ing fodder, straw or hay whole. This
waste can be lessened considerably by cut
ting and providing tight racks for feeding.
Bran can be added and the amount of
grain lessened. Bran with hay, straw or
fodder cut up fine makes very good feed
for growing cattle. In the coolest weather
some corn meal can be added with
profit. Bran is one OF the cheapest
feeding materials that can be supplied to
cattle, for the reason that it adds to the
value, or rather makes with the other ma
terials, more complete ration; and when
1T is an item to winter cattle or sheep econ
omically, more or less bran can nearly
always be used. Lessening the waste and
making up more complete rations reduces
the cost OF feeding. And with good shelter,
good variety of feed, regular feed and
watering, cattle can be wintered at low
cost and vet steady gain be secured.
If the stock is not sheltered and the
food is supplied on the ground at what
ever time suits the feeders convenience,
if the water is supplied by cutting hole
in a creek or pond, and the cattle under
this treatment weigh less in the spring
than in the fall, all the feed given during
the winter will be lost and the cattle,
counting the feed at its market value, will
have cost more than it will bring when
ready to market.