The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-02-08
WINTER CARE OF CATTLE.


motnO0s That F1nO Favor Arc UoscrsUoo
by an Indiana breeder.
incorporated In the last annual report
from the Indiana state board Of agricul-
ture Is an address on winter Feeding
and Care of Cattle" delivered by Isham
Sedwick, Of Wayne county, before the
6horthorn Breeders association. Follow
ing are extracts from the same likely to
interest readers in general:
First Of all, then, shelter from rain
and snow and then shelter from the cold
winds, but let your shelters have that
other great requisite, good ventilation,
and also that still greater one, let 1t be
clean. Great draughts through your
barns are not necessary to ventilation,
but comparatively small ones will do II
rightly arranged. This one hint is suffi-
cient In this matter. Provide openings
on all sides of the barn near the floors Of
the stable, but in cold weather leave
only those on the opposite side Of the
wind open. Then another common fault
is the full sweep Of the wind under the
floors. Perhaps these faulty constructed
buildings are the reason that the straw
stack, with its warm side and bed, is such
great favorite with so many of our
breeders, and allow me to say that a
good sheltering stack is good thing and
thing that is not easily excelled.
Next to shelter in maintaining the
temperature and the source of heat is
good feed.
There has been a great deal written
about the ration that is the most effective,
and yet we are not at all convinced that
there is only one way to grow and fat
ten the beef. Through the most Of our
state corn always has been the best win
ter feed available. We could hardly get
along without it. Yet great as it is it
needs to be supplemented with other
things. Sometimes its comparative mar
ket value renders it necessary that we
use as little corn as possible, lest the pro-
duct be worth less than the corn.
The various feed cutters have often
proved Of great value where the stables
and troughs are all in good shape, and
yet there are seasons when the ground is
frozen and dry and the fodder is of such
good quality that there is no loss in feed
ing the stalks whole on the ground and
there is a saving of labor that may be
better employed.
l am inclined to think that there is one
crop that is too much neglected in this
country, and one that is very valuable as
a winter feed. Beets or mangels can be
raised in great abundance and at low
cost. With our best lands and in all sea-
sons it is possible to raise ten bushels of
beets to the same ground space that will
produce one Of corn. The cost of raising
Is only about three times that of corn per
acre, and the feeding value of an acre of
beets as supplemental feed to corn is
equal to five or more acres of corn. The
juicy, lively condition of the cattle on
grass in summer may be maintained all
winter by mixed ration of grain, fod-
der and beets, and this condition main
tanned in the winter is of more value than
will appear at first thought. The most
of us are too prone to put off the day of
beginning the winter feeding. Sorghum
is one of the best of fall forage crops; it
sends cattle into the winter in tiptop con-
dition by supplying them with ration
that has large fat producing power.
Keep both stables and animals clean
and supply water that is as nearly of the
same temperature in the winter as in the
summer as it is possible to have it. In
word, shelter your animals from storms
Of wind and rain, keep them clean and
dry, provide pure water without ice in it
at least twice per day, give as great
variety of food as you can and if possible
let some Of the feed be crisp and juicy as
the summer feed. Last of all, see that
your cattle have enough feed to main
tain their condition, and as much more
as they can use in making flesh, milk or
growth