The Van Buren press., 1895-10-12
FARMER AND PLANTER.
TREATMENT OF STOCK.

ulnas Regarding the Care and Handling -
Young Animals.
The foundation Of national character
and prosperity is laid In the nursery
and school room.
In no less degree does the profit to be
derived from domestic animals depend
upon the treatment received by these
animals while young and growing. II
these are stunted in their growth by
undue exposure, or insufficient or Inn
proper food. entire recovery and fuu
and normal development is rare.
Our winters are usually SO mild that
we do not make proper provision OF
food and shelter for our stock, and con-
sequently the COWS that come to the
pail in the spring are not in the condi-
tion necessary for profitable milk pro-
duction.
1t is natural for all females to lay In
flesh and fat while pregnant and thus
store up supplies for the young in ad-
vance. If their surroundings are such
As to prevent this they are not able to
provide proper nourishment for their
young, either before or after birth.
Since our profits are derived either
from the milk provided by the mother
for its young. or from the rapid and
healthful growth Of the young, we for
felt our profits by the neglect OF either.
1t was distressing to read reports, dur
ing the winter just past, of the death
of stock from starvation in many parts
of this favored land. 1t is a disgrace
to the owners of stock to allow such
suffering and loss. Not only humani-
II. but self-interest, should prevent the
occurrence OF such suffering sand loss.
The mill owner who allows his ma
eninery to rust and wear for the want
Of oiling, and deprives himself OF the
profits OF his investment because Of
failure to provide the raw material
to keep the mill at work, will soon
fail to meet his liabilities, and declare
that the manufacturing business docs
not pay"
Such manufacturers are the excep-
tion.
Nine-tenths Of the stock in the cot
ton states are allowed to grow very
poor during the winter, and very many
barely survive until the buds put
forth in spring. Until midsummer the
food consumed isentirely appropriated
to rebuilding the wasted frames, in
stead of being devoted to the produc-
tion of milk or growth. No animal
that is alternately starved and pam
pered can maintain profitably healthy
condition.
There is very prevalent idea among
farmers that pigs that are allowed
run of the pea fields or of the fatten-
ing pen in the fall twill die the next
spring" They grow excessively fat in
the pea field or in the "fattening pen."
and the supply of peas are exhausted,
or the fattening hogs are killed, the
food supply is suddenly cut off, and
they have only starvation rations dur
ing the winter and spring. They thus
fall an easy prey to disease. They
have the luck of the lousy calf"
Pigs of good breed will be ready for
the knife at nine to eleven months of
age, if properly fed; while under the
treatment which they generally re-
ceive they are not ready until eighteen
or twenty months old.
1t would be poor economy for mill
to run on half time or half supplies,
and require two years to accomplish
what might be done in one with proper
management.
From a business standpoint domestic
animals should be regarded as ma
chimes for the conversion of cheap, raw
material into more costly and valuabl
products. The value of COW depends
upon her daily yield of milk or butter,
or her capacity Of converting hay or
grass and mill-feed into milk, butter
or beef. The calf that requires three
years to attain a weight Of | 200 pounds
is less than half as profitable as one
which attains that weight in half the
time.
All young animals should be kept in
a constantly-growing condition with
out being pampered. - Agricultural
South.