The Arizona sentinel., 1889-03-23
THE FEEDING INSTINCT.
A Faculty Necessary to Success in Stock.
Raising and Dairy1ng.

Z a necessary TO success IN 6LOCka
Raising and DairyIng.
Some men have an instinct that
teaches them how much feed, of what
kind and when to feed it to animals.
In different men this instinct is de-
veloped as applying to different kinds
of animals; some men are always sue
cessful in feeding pigs, some in sheep,
and some in COWS or other kinds of
stock. | know man who can get bet
ter returns from COWS out of given
quantity of feed than any of his neigh
bors; with pics he is not a success by
any means.
/ have a neighbor who keeps his
horses in the best condition of any
farmer in this vicinity. Some tins
ago he was in my barnyard and one Of
his horses with him, fat, sleek and
well groomed and well trained. We
were looking at my COWS when he
said: II don't see how it is, but [
can't keep my COWS in such fine condi-
ton as you do yours" He then added:
Il give them all they want to eat. J"
found on inquiry that he was feeding
heavier than /. just then one of my
horses was led out of the table, and [
said: THAT is just the case with me in
regard to horses; yours are always
in first-rate order; now look at that
horse and compare him with yours
Ny horses have all the food necessary,
but they do not look as well as yours. y"
Here was case in point; the feeding
instinct of my neighbor was in the di-
rectiOn of horses, mine of COWS. |
have never had a lot of COWS that
looked ill-kept, and if have certain
kind of feed l can tell almost instinct
lively whether the COWS will like it and
thrive on it or not, but with horses
it is different; am not so sure with
them. With pigs also | am successful,
and can get from them a good return
from bushel of corn or other feed.
The dairyman should have the feed
ing instinct strongly developed cow
ward, so much depends upon how and
with what the COWS are fed. If he is
not born COW feeder he must study
up the science of feeding if he wants
to make the greatest profit out of his
herd. 1t won't do to write to the pa
perS and get a feeding ration pre-
scribed, as the doctors give prescrip-
ton and 60 on feeding it blindly, say
ing it has the requisite amount Of al
buminoids, carbohydrates, ETC., in it;
but you must experiment, try diff
ferent quantities and combinations,
and see just what and how much
your COWS can eat profitably. You
can't give a certain fixed per cent of
food to hundred pounds of cow in
discriminatory. Some COWS can eat
and digest only three per cent of their
life weight, while others may eat
three, four or more pounds per one
hundred. Then again your ration may
call for say two pounds of linseed
meal, and while you can not get that
cheaply you can get bran. 1t may DO
wise to substitute the bran for the
linseed meal. or perhaps use timothy
hay in place Of the clover recon-
mended; but in all feeding the COW
must be the judge, and the verdict she
gives will be found in the milk-pail or
churn. Tables of feeding stuffs giving
their value as food, and their manurial
value after passing through the ami
NAL, are useful; but it must always DO
borne in mind hat they are compare
tive only-are the chemists estimate
of value, not the animals or the soil's 3.
Here is where the feeding instinct
comes into play. 1t should teach the
feeder whether the ration is the right
one for his COWS. 1t may be all right
for the theoretical" cow, but his COW
may have far more or less capacity for
digesting food. and judgment should be
used in giving all, and no more, than
can be proftably eaten. Prairie
Farmer.