The Elbert County tribune., 1904-01-14
Small Potatoes for Stock.


Written for the Tribune by we'll
known farmer: The best way OF market
ing small scabby and badly misshapen
potatoes is through the stomachs Of the
farm animals. Taking potato crops and
potato prices just as they come, year
after year, shrewd and discriminating
seller can get fully as much for the good
tubers, after sorting out the poor ones,
as he would get for all il unsorted. On
an average one may thus have the culls
to feed for separating them, and perhaps
little extra cash, besides, IL he is espec-
tally good at getting best price for best
goods.
They arc desirable as stock food not
only on account OF the actual nutritive
elements which they contain, but also
for their beneficial effects upon the di-
gestive apparatus of animals when fed
at time OF year when the very quality
Of succulence has value. They are ex-
cellent for cattle--especially for milch
cows-hogs, horses and poultry. / have
never either fed them TO sheep nor heard
OF any one else having tried them for
that purpose. Before being fed, or
cooked for feeding, as the case may be,
the potatoes should be washed by being
left submerged in water until the dirt is
all softened, then shaken up thoroughly,
the water poured Of, then rinsed again.
For cattle they are better fed raw than
cooked. For milch cows on short and
dry or flush and unsubstantial pasture
they may be used in place of grain re-
ton, and the results will be good. The
potatoes will increase the quantity Of
milk given and add very materially to
its richness. In fact, when judiciously
fed under such conditions, they will
mr. cttr IN, n anral hill Of lrnt
IL rich milk and an amount OF butter are
the objects. Some Judgment and eau
ton must be exercised in feeding them
to dairy COWS which are subject to gar
get, or are highly fed on grain, whether
subject to garget or not. Too liberally
used in such cases they have a tendency
to aggravate the trouble il it exists, and
to cause it where it does not. There
fore, they should not be given to n COW
that is subject to udder troubles and is
highly fed on grain. One and a half, or
at most two gallons in one feed day is
as much as it would be wise to feed a
COW which gets no grain, but has very
fair pasture or roughage. With good
grain ration one,half gallon per head
once day would be about right. 1t is
best to feed them in the evening, after
milking.
1t is entirely unnecessary to cut pota-
toes OF any size an animal can get in it's
mouth il they are fed from receptacle
set on the ground, or from feed box or
manger that is very low. But IL one is
going to feed them from high box or
manger he had better cut them, or one
might occasionally roll uncrushed into
the gullet Of an animal. II it did it
might lodge in the windpipe or it might
not. II it did SO lodge it would cause
trouble and possibly death.
For hogs the potatoes ought to be
cooked by boiling. Sometimes hogs will
take to eating raw ones fairly well, and
sometimes not, but in any case the ami
mails will not derive the same benefit
from raw spuds as from cooked ones,
preferably fed warm. For horses few
pounds, say five pounds, day in winter,
fed always raw and well washed, will do
the animals good and be much appreci-
ated by them. For poultry they are to
be cooked by boiling or by baking and
fed warm or hot.