The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-17
EFFECT OF COTTON SEED DIET.
It Is Said Cows Fed on Them Inva-
riab1y Go Blind

Though 1t did not take important ac-
ton on any subject. the board OF health
of Atlanta did gather some interesting
information at Fridays meeting.
They were discussing the dairy situation
and the best food for cattle. when DR.
Longino, the chairman, remarked:
"A daryman told me the other day
that If a steer is fed for six months on
cotton seed meal and huls alone he will
20 absolutely blind. I suppose that what
applies to a steer will apply to COW
as we'll That is something 1 had never
heard of before"
Dairyman Hin, who was present to
give his views with reference to q dairy
inspector, said:
Eyes, sir it's true. can testify to the
fact, for I have had experience. If you
feed COWS on nothing else but cotton
seed meal and hulls they will go stark
blind within three TO six months. 1t will
fatten them all right and get them in
good shape, but 1t will make them blind
and it will make them act. too, rs If
they were drunk. have sold cows fed
on cotton seed to butchers, and they have
had to haul them away. The animals
were in such condition that they could
only stagger around and could hardly
walk at all.
[
from eating cotton seed, but 10 know
it is a fact II you stop feeding them
cotton seed they will gradually recover
their sight, but they will get thin as a
rail. and then there Is no food on earth
that will fatten them again You can
fatten them one time on cotton seed
food but it won't work on the second
trial"
Here are some physical facts for which
1t would be interesting to see a scientific
explanation. Possibly some one has one.
1t would make interesting reading.
Or. II. G. Carnes. veterinary surgeon,
says the feeding of cotton seed meal and
bulls alone In the summer time Will have
this effect, and will unquestionably injure
cattle where injudiciously used, but
where fed in proper amounts and at tAe
right season, the cotton seed food is a
most excellent one.
Rich and strong in heterogeneous matter,
cotton seed meal attacks the spinal cord
and nerve centers of the animal, and has
practically the same effect on 1t that
whisky does on men, making them blind
and drunk, and eventually killing them.
For these reasons Dr.. Carnes says 1t
should be fed sparingly in the summer
time particularly.
Cotton seed meal" says DR.. Carnes,
lis the stron Sest, richest heterogeneous
When intelligenty and judiciously used
1t produces flesh and milk in abundance.
1t contains per cent oil, 43 per cent
protein 2 IL per cent pnoSphoriC acld,
and l IL per cent potash, thus making it
a powerful stimulant. 1t should not.
therefore, be fed III hot weather except
in small quantities, as 1t affects the brain
and spinal cord. the seat OF AL nerve cell
ters producing blindness and death. l
have been called 10 ualrles and 1ound
four or five cows dead ana eight or ten
Frustrated or crazy to the extent OF be-
ing dangerous. In these cases nave
found that the owner had been feeding
gallon measures of cotton seed meal
three times daily. Ills excuse was that
the demand for milk was so great he was
Obliged TO use this in order to supply
his customers.
There is no question that cotton seed
meal is a great fat and milk producer
but should never DO fed except in small
Quantities If at all, III the summer time.
Other foods should always be given with
il that the rumen or pouch may be Kept
conparatively full. Shade is essential,
vet this is often overlooked in hot wealth
err Cotton seed meal has he same effect
on the COW as whisky On Il man and
the brute devours it at the cost of her
svstem. The dairyman should rememb
that cows udder is neither spring
nor an artesian we'll The remedy in
such cases is a purgative and discontinu-
ance Of the use of the meal