Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-04-03
Feedir z va. Over Feeding
Editors Of the Ksanebee ,Journot:--

EdltOFs Of the hsaaebee JoUrn0t:-
In discussing dairy ing operations so far
AZ have read and heard, much stress is
laid on The feeding and keeping of cows,
and some practical AMI some impractical
things are said. and practiced we presume.
The ua,ura! feed OF grazing animals is
grass or herbs in their green and therefore
.uccuient state. If We had climate that
a,mitted perpetual pastures, these questions
of feed, etc uow so prominent, would not
be raised. As it is, they have to be met,
but some things fundamental seem TO me to
be often ignored One Of these is she ia t
that for half the year at least. our domestic
animals live in an artificial state, and must
be 80 regarded We hesr men reasoniog
That grass being their natural food, Tried
qfass must be the proper substitute when
the green grass is denied This reasoning
Is to a certain extent fsllacous The green
ness Of summer sbidss only with summer
heats. tropical temperatures. and changes
To character rs these decline. The harden
ing up Of the grasses AS the season advances
is preparatory 70 the winters cold Food
and climatic changes become adapted to
each other.
The lax condition of the intestinal organs
consequent upon the luxurious feed of
Juae would lily it The animal to bear the
rigors of Decr mber, not even the drted
qrass would be found so much in place as
THE mature grass i. @, in full blossC m, well
cured and sweet.
Another thing for consideration is the
forcing process. There seems to be a craze
IN the world to get the most out of every
thing in the least given time, regardless of
normal conditions. Applied to the COW. it
mean, high feed and the most milk possible
for The time being. 1t is serious question
she'her this is really the true method. As
sp, lied to human life We deny it, All ami
NAL existence is capsb of an average
amount of endurance and production This
may be realized in less time than would
naturally occur by stimulating the animal
powers t. an excessive production. but II Is
done ut the expense of dmlnut;0n OF those
powers IN the end II is done likewise
under frFerei and excited conditions Of
life. and like the machine hat is taxed be-
You'd ia ability te do, breaks do sn-it never
wears out
The world is full of such wrecks and
the spirit of the age seems disposed 10 null
tipiy them. The progressive farmer cate he :
that spirit as we'll as the business man and
artisan, ard seeks to anticipate futures by
f9rced productions AMI abnormal growths.
The true policy, as it seems TO me, is to so
maintain the animal production that minis
tiers to our necessity and profit. as tn 1t it
shall maintain that citation to US the long
est while.
"The world vas not made in one day is
an old saying that lonz ago carried real
truth under The gul.e of an admitted fact.
1t il not reasonable to suppose that we are
to realize all our profits in single year. or
that the policy is the right one, all things
considered, which gathers in the largest
measure of item. A good dairy COW can
be MIXED dry in three years, promising
horse may be old at five and ruined at ten.
The other extreme is equally TO be avoided.
A certain amount of feed is required to main
tain animal growth, and if only so much as
profit to Ourselves; and because of this fact
is required IL furnished no profit is realized
beyond the growth. We must superadd to
animal needs in order to leave a margin of
some proceed As though there was no
limit to its application. like the IrIshman
who reasoned that IF one stove would save
half the wood, two would save the whole, ."
they multiply ration upon ration without
considering how much the animal organism
will endure. These observations may be
regarded by some as "old fogy,' but con-
slider the fact that constitutional diseases
are more ldrg y developed ~ herds of high
bred. hxh Id animals kept in fnely fin
ished stables, than otherrl.e. They look
sleek snd ist aud eaptiva,e tn. eye, Tut are
III hl,s inils but norma condition, as the
product of overstrsined powers plainly in-
iicates.
1t may he laid down as a rule that co. =
slant, even feeding gives more satisfactory
results in the end than spssmodic efforts.
Observation among the patrons of the
FsA ette Creamery during the past year have
fully cubtir Ged me IN this. Those whose
supply of cream is most even and regular
the y Ar round make little or no charges
on account of season. I asked one whose
supply continues with little variation, what
his method of feeding is. and he answered,
II give one quart of lodisn meal and two
quarts of shorts. or their equivalent. twice
day every day that comes. This would
be- considered moderate feed By many
dairy but the product of that mans
iairY would be most satisfactory 10 any
oue is sufficient amount TO stimulate
10 healthy production without over-tax,na
the cows ability TO produce, or impairlng
her oiiiy heath Compare this method
IN its results sih that of tao or three years
of excessive feeding and over taxed la teal
power. Garget tuberculosis, hohe-sil,
and kindred diseases are among the en-
tailed consequences and in the end render
the animal worthless. Even those We call
perpetual mixers must have a modicum
of rest or suffer the consequences eutsiled
upon the nseiyes and progeny,
We claim hat little COMMON seAse as
well as financial sense should be exercised
where animal organisms subserve the pur
rose of minister;ng TO human wants.
E. K. FRENCH
pySuSt. Aprl 90