The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-20

Inc fact that Succulent foods are abb
solutely necessary for the health of an
imals at this time of the year is being
most plainly demonstrated all over the
country, says the farmers Review.
From the cornstalk fields come reports
of loss of both cattle and horses, ana
while some of the loss is due to the
disease now known as "cornstalk dis
ease" it must be concluded that many
of the cases of alleged cornstalk dis
ease are really nothing more or less
than impaction due to lack of moisture
in the stOmachs and intestnes. In
summer the effect of taking into the
stomach large quantity of food is rem
dered harmless by the fact that the
food is Succulent and the supply of
drinking water ample or helped out by
heavy deposits of dew upon the grass.
In winter time the animals do not care
to drink so much water and food is dry
when in the state of day, fodder or
grain and is never wet with dew or
other moisture. 1t has an astringent
effect in the digestive organs and after
the feeding has been carried on for
some time the secretion of gastric juices
seems to become inadequate to the work
of moistening and digesting the dry
mass of food. If at the same time the
supply of drinking water is deficient
the effect is more severe and impaction
with its train of other troubles ensues.
When the stomach becomes overloaded
with dry food and water or succuent
food is not given in sufficient guam
tity to moisten it thoroughly the stom-
ach becomes paralyZed and the mass
remains inert or commences to decom-
pose and set up Inflammation or give
forth gasSes which cause bloating or
are absorbed and poison the system.
Farmers have been in the habit of at,
tributing the trouble to smut on the
corn and some veterinarians have even
made the mistake of supposing that er-
got on corn was the cause. While smut
has been proved to have nothing to do
with the trouble and ergot is not a
vegetable parasite of corn the condi-
lions giving rise to the appearance CT
smut and ergot are favorable to condi-
lions assisting in the cause of impac-
ton AT the same time both ergotty
hay and smutted corn have been fed
in large quantities along with other
sound food and have caused no disease
or inconvenience so long as plenty of
water or succulent food were supplied
along with the ration. From what has
been said it will be seen then that in
order to counteract the constipating eff
fects of cornstalks, fodder, hay and
grain m winter feding farmers should
make Ii a point to provide ruiz sup
ply of succulent food for winter use.
AS roots, while valuable, are difficult
and expensive to raise in most in
stances a supply of ensilage should be
prepared for winter use. This is cheap
and easily saved food and there is not
the slightest excuse for not having a
cheap silo and full supply of ensilage to
add to the dry foods which every win
ter cause great loss on the farm. Where
ensilage cannot be supplied care should
be taken to keep the cattle and horses
out of the cornstalk fields or to allow
them to roam there for but short time
time daily and when not in the fields to
give them an abundance of other food
and a full supply of fresh drinking
water. As animals will not always
drink the amount of water necessary to
moisten properly the large amount OF
drv food they consume in winter they
should be given more salt at this sea-
son of the year than any other and
this by creating thirst will lead them
TO take the necessary amount of water.
Salt has also an opening effect upon
the bowels and at the same time pre-
vents decomposition and formation or
gasses. In the winter feeding of all
pregnant animals the supply of succu-
lent food is also of prime Importance.
If dry fodder is used in addition to
corn there is a likelihood that the ami
mai will become fat and sluggish and
animals i'm such condition come to the
time of parturition i'm improper condi-
tion TO endure the trial successfully and
supply their young with a tull HOW OF
milk