Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-01-12
The Care of Farm Stock.

There is no part of our farm work
which requires more careful attention
or a more thorough knowledge of under
lying principles and requirements for
success than the care of farm stock.
Wrong methods or neglect, in this as in
other lines OF farming, will materially
affect the profits derived.
In this climate the question OF shelter
during the winter months must receive
considerable attention. In the develop
ment of our farm animals from the
original stock, while bringing them up
to higher point of production we have
developed more sensitively organized
animal, with more nervous tempera-
ment, and less able to endure exposure
TO cold and storms. How to give them
proper protection and still keep them in
a vigorous, healthy condition, is an i'm
portant question. On the one hand, they
should have sufficiently warm quarters
to keep them comfortable and ensure
the best production, and on the other
hand, they should be given proper
amount of exercise and enough fresh air
aud sunshine so that their vitality will
not be lowered. While our barns should
be so constructed as to keep the animals
warm, proper attention should be given
to sanitary conditions. A good system
of ventilation should be provided and as
much sunlight admitted as possible.
Feeding is, of conrse, one of the most
important points in the winter care OF
stock, and requires much thought and
study, both in regard to the kind and
amount of food to be given. There is
often as much hindrance to the growth
and development of young stock by over
feeding or by feeding wrong kinds OF
food as from want of food. The food
should contain those ingredients which
are necessary for the complete growth
and development of the animal. In
other words, the animal should be given
a balanced ration, or one which contains
the proper proportion of protein, or
flesh-producing food, and carbohydrates,
or heat and energy producing, and fat
forming foods. If we cannot produce
upon our farms sufficient protein foods,
aud the dairy farmer, especially, in this
section can seldom or ever raise protein
enough to enable him to feed his cows
a balanced ration, we should purchase
them in the markets. The carbohy-
drates we can raise in abundance on our
farms.
Regularity is very essential feature
in the successful care of stock. IL is
regular feed and care and proper exercise
that develops the young colt or the
young steer. There should never be in
the growth of any of the farm animals a
period of what some farmers call "stand-
ing still" Many times young stock
when turned to pasture in May are not
rs heavy and surely not as well shaped
as when they came to the barn in the
fall. This method of caring for stock is
entirely wrong. No good progress or
profit can be derived from a haphazard
way of caring for our animals.
The manner in which animals are
treated will also influence to quite an
extent the quantity and quality of pro-
duction. 1t has been said that "The
ration of all rations for any animal is
kindness" The well bred, highly de-
veloped animal is especially sensitive to
harsh treatment, and cruelty or abuse is
Improbable from a financial standpoint,
to say nothing of the humanitarian side.
Maine Rulletin of December