Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-04

isterlce but it requires an lntelllesHt ,uaat
with COED t tpsn1 tyne 70 s milk and cream
producer that satienes our concepaihu,iil o - =
a good COW The machine itself, while II
co rs.led as Of more value than that which
| Il is capable of producing Much thought
care. and Intellect has been put into the
development IN order m tnat ca We anG # the
highest returns can be obtained only at
the expense of the animal itself the end
viii Justify the means 1t may be worse ff.t
| looms in our cotton and WOODEN mills
can be run SO slowly and cared FOR so
pains takingly. that they VIII last m
them In that way. To return the largest
dividends they are run at high rate OF
speed by skilled operators, and are soon
worn out We must make our animals
serve US. and not be slaves to them
while getting no profitable return; we
must make them pay for what we DO ior
them, and a good profit besides.
If they have been wisely used ana nave
worn out in the using. we can afford TO
fill their places with, at least. as good
animals. 1t is not valid argument
that the cows soon break down. That
method of feeding and care that gives
the greatest net profit must be regarded
as wise, no matter what the fate of the
cows may be. Let us suppose that COW
be kept under the best hygienic conditions
with the end in view of keeping her in
the highest state of physical vigor. Let
no pains be spared to attain this end. We
would have to create a cort OF artificial,
perpetual June for her, ANA this in Il eli
mate where there is quite as much De-
endeavor we might expect this highly
favored COW to live TO ripe old age. But
who is to pay the extraordinary expense
involved in sucn elaborate care as would
be required. We think ii would have to
be her shorter lived sisters who have been
kept at work on a paying-for-w what they
get plan. Do not mistake my meaning.
The best sanitary conditions are always
worth something and should be obtained
If the cost is not too great. We are not
here to advocate any system that Will not
bear the test of practical use. If the
best conditions are not practicable get
the best you can. In these times OF close
competition We must have the best stock
obtainable and give it the best care mat
under the circumstances 1t can pay Tor.
The better the stock the more painStak-
ing care can be wisely expended on il
Just what that care shall be each man
must decide for himself according to his
individual circumstances.
In considering barns as a shelter for
stock we have to regard them as neces-
sary evils. Necessary because Of our
keep stock in even the best of barns
without in a degree endansering its
health and vigor. The barn problem TO
convenient and satisfactory shelters,
and not at the same time have them
sources of danger from diseases. Along
this line we are not prepared to advocate
much that is new but perhaps something's
that are not common. There are barns
that eXemplify the best that is known of
sanitary requirements as TAR as IS prac-
ticable. There are more that follow be-
hind this knowledge. some a long way
off. With the best interest of our. stock
industry at heart we ought TO aim TO
make the exceptions the rule. and the
only way to do this is TO keep trying.
Within our remembrance much has been
accomplished The barns are now not
common that We're constructed so as to
exclude only the coarsest of the cold
while freely admitting wind and snow on
every side. In avoiding its defects some
have fallen into the opposite extreme.
which is quite as Objectionable, and have
shut their stock into air tight structures
with nothing to recommend them but
their warmth. The ideal barn, II seems
to u.s. should have all the good qualities
of these extreme types. and avoid their
Objectionable features.
Pure air is cheap and always available.
1t is also too essential to animal life to be
other hand it costs something in the
shape of feed to warm up frozen air. So
too much of it must not be admitted.
Warmth We must have. Light must al
so be provided. 1t is as essential as
warm air.
To have pure air it must be admitted
feasible plan for manufacturing it on the
premises.
How to best admit this air is a problem
that We think has not yet been solved.
The amount needed depends upon the
animals and is a very constant quantity.
When it is extremely cold outside and the
wind blows briskly it may be difficult to
keep out an excess of air that will con-
stantly enter every crack and crevlce
But when the outside temperature is
nearly the same as that or the inside
that every window and door be opened
for sufficient ventilation. Thus with con-
slant changes in the outside conditions
it is not IA simple matter to admit just
the needed amount of air at all times.
Fresh air must be Il. constant one but
the means by which it is obtained must in
some way be controlled. SO there Will al
ways be enough and never great eX-
cess We know of 10 self-regulatlng ar
rangement for accomplishing this: 1t
can only be accomplished by constant
and careful attention Whether the air
be admitted through windows and doors or
through specially constructed ventiiating
shafts is immaterial provided it is adj
United and care Is exercised that no animal
shall be rendered uncomfortable by stand
ling in a draught. Ii should also be borne
in mind that fresh air Will enter most
readily on the WindWard side with an
opening for the outward blow of second
hand air on the opposite side. Each ma
ture COW. needs not less than 300 cubic
inches of new air each minute. This is
over 1900 cubic feet in the twcntyfour
hours. and the supply must be constant
She cannot get a days supply during the
few minutes she may be in the open air
getting the water she needs. Neither
can she get 1t during the day and then
he sealed up for the night TO constantly
use the same supply. She can drink
| enough in five minutes and eat enough
| in two hours to satisfy her needs for
| day. but fifteen or eighteen times a min
| ute. snine hundred times an hour she
must have her supply of fresh air. And
| this each hour in the day, and each day
of her life.
| To keep the air in our barns at a suit
able temperature for the comfort of our
| animals Is only a little less important
| than to keep it pure. Animals surround
| ed by and constantly breathing cold air
must maintain their normal temperature
| by the consumption of more food than
would otherwise be required. and this
means added expense and less profit. If
an animal did not need fresh air 1t would
be easy to keep it warm. Enclosed in a
tight barn with thick walls the warm air
expelled from its lungs and the heat
radiated from its own body would fur
nish warmth enough. Unfortunately
this economical method of heating barns
| has one serious disadvantage. The air
once breathed is poison if breathed again
50 it must be gotten rid of warm though
lit may be- If we could devise a feasible
method of saving this heat without re
tanning the bud air We would be going IA
great deal for the dairy interests In such
climates as ours. There IL one cheap
source of heat that is seldom sufficiently
appreciated. We refer to the direct heat
from the sun. few clean windows on,
1.-THE sunny side will admit a very appre-
lat1 1NIn Of