The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-08
WINTER CARE OF CATTLE.

These cool days when the winter
months warn US that we may face
cold weather almost any time, re-
minds us that many farmers-some
of them, possibly, readers of The
Progressive Farmer-have not made
proper provision to keep their cattle
warm and dry during cold weather.
You will say, perhaps, ooh, they are
warm enough" or, 81 don't want
stock that can't stand a little rough
ing it." Few people who own and
feed cattle stop to think that ''foOd
is fuel" and that they pay dear, very
dear, in food for neglect to properly
house the animals and to feed and
water regularly. It is expensive to
let young cattle stand out and shiyer
in cold weather. Those who are
negligent in this direction should
study their own interest in making
the animals comfortable, thus utiliz-
ing the food consumed to the best
advantage.
Every crack, or crevice, nOtneeded
for ventilation, should be stopped.
The food should be given regularly.
Water should be offered regularly
and, if not in abundance, it should
be at least in suGicient supply to pro
vide all the animals really need.
Dairy COWS and young cattle may,
as a rule, be allowed free access to
water at all times, or it should be
offered twice or three times per day ;
also to horses. But fattening cattle
need much less water for active fat
tening.
1t is we'll Ohave water raised from
Il deep WE'LL or have it run under
ground from deep springs for stock
in cold weather, 1t reaches them
warmer and costs7Iess food to raise
the temperature to blood heat.
Animals that are stall fed or be-
ing omaintained, if the object is to
keep the cost Of gain OF Of mainten-
ance Is low as possible, should be
allowed only limited exercise, kept
as quiet as possible and provided
feed and water regularly. Q
After a dry hot summer when feed
is scarce and prices are high and ad-
~vancing, the greatest care and econ
Omy should be praoticed in the feed
and care of all the stock on the farm.
When you read These notes think
over your own practice and question
yourself If there is not some point
wherein you can save aolittle1 Try
to ''balance'' the rations so as to get
the most out o. what you have on
hand. And ii there is not enough to
last out, look about early and buy
what can be found to bring both feed
and fertility at the very lowest price.
Often times straw or slower may
be in sufficient amount, then buy
cotton seed meal and salt the cattle
by s%prinkling the coarse stuff with u
little salted water. This will furnish
the salt which is a tonic in moderate
amounts and help to make the straw
appetizing. Then d little addition of
u concentrated fodder to balance
completes your ration nicely. If
you have not the knowledge and
tables to balance ratiOns, call for ID
bulletin on the subject from your
Experiment Station.
HANDLING MANURE.
Feeding cattle produce d valuable
byproduct in the shape of manure
and waste. About two-thirds Of the
digestible albuminOids are left in the
excrement by mich cows, and more
by other animals. All animals fed
for maintenance as suggested above
soon reach a point where OutgO is
equal to income, and practically all
the elements of fertility of the food
r thrown out in this ~byproduct.
Young and growing animals use
more of it (the amount being de
termined by the rate of growth) than
do animals being fed for mainten-
anCe alone.
The value Of the manure though
depends on two things: The rich
ness Of the food and the kind of ami
mails which are being fed.
The value to the farmer depends
very largely on one other very i'm
portant item, viz the care taken to
preserve the elements of plant food
until they can be brought to the soil.
The sOOne this is done the better.
Hence, the most value is retained by