The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-14
WINTER SHELTER OF LIVE
STOCK.

1t should be apparent TO every GnlnK-
ing man that food serves as fuel in the
body just as wood or coal serves as fuel
beneath the boiler of the engine. Each
is an agent creating force. If the boiler
is surrounded by a thick layer of ice it
will require much more fuel to create
q certain number of pounds Of steam
than it will if it is situated in a temper
ate atmosphere. By the same logic, if
an animal is turned out into the intense
cold of winter, it will require more food
to keep up animal warmth and energy
than it would if the body were kept in
q warm stable.
Any person who has carefully studied
the care of live stock realizes the truth
of this. Consequently the best Of stock
men give their animals suitable pro
lection from winter cold. 1t is, how
ever, to be greatly regretted that many
owners of live stock turn their animals
out in all sorts of weather. l have
seen mich COWS on bleak hillsides
when the thermometer registered be
low zero, and the air was especially
cutting. a ride of $50 miles across
country on a bleak winters day will
show hundreds of cattle in cornfelds
or pastures when they ought to be in
the stable. 1t is to be regretted that
so few persons realize the real less IN
Cured by such exposure.
One winter 1 purchased for the In
diana Experiment Station six mich
COWS for experimental work. They
were divided into two lots Of three
each. One lot was given the shelter OF
the stable, while the other was kept out
of doors during the day, in all kinds Of
weather, although sheltered IN the
stable at night. For even weeks this
treatment was maintained. At the end
of this period it vas found that the
sheltered lot had given 161 pounds mora
of milk than the unsheltered, had eaten
less grain food to produce this milk,
and had gained in weight over 200
pounds, while the unsheltered ones had
lost in weight. AS the sheltered COWS
had shown a financial gain Of about $12
In the aggregate yer the others in in-
creased milk flow, cost of keep and in
crease in weight, it certainly paid to
shelter them.
Other experiments, especially with
pigs, have shown the wisdom of giving
reasonable shelter during the winter.
In every case that comes to my mem
DRY, pork was produced at a less cost
per pound where the pigs were shell
tered than where unsheltered.
The question of shelter, however,
should not be taken to an extreme. Il
is essential for good health that stables
have proper ventilation and sanitary
conveniences. A stable filed with cat
tie soon becomes contaminated with
impure air unless proper ventilation is
provided. This should be secured so
as to produce no direct draught upon
the animal body. Plenty of sweet,
pure air is most important. The writer
has been in stables where the air was
warm in winter, but it was also foul to
an injurious extent. Had the air been
s~little cooler and sweeter, it would
have been all the better for the cattle
A winter temperature of so degrees
in the stable may be safely recon-.
mended. 1t is not desirable to go above
or much below this.
Owners of live stock can give fairly
good protection to their stock at small
expense by the use of straw, old boards
or leaves, for warding eff the cold
winds and rain. 1t is to be hoped ouI
stockmen will gradually see the folly
of turning their stock out into the
fields in winter, excepting for a brief
airing, and will improve their methods