Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-12-22
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPxED THE PLow."

"sPxrD THE PLow."
Correspondence on practical Agricultural topics
10 solicited. Address all communications In
tended for this department TO HHNII ID
HAhhonD. Agricultural Editor Oxford Dem
Improving Dairy Barn Equipment
Many things In and about the barn are
done to-day as they were half century
ago. Stable manure is still wasted; Ia
Dor, too, is wasted in useless work 10
cleaning stables, in watering and feed
ing stock, in tying the animals. So, al
so, because of the primitive methods In
use, products are secured under insani-
tary environments, the farm animals
housed in unhealthy quarters. With
the installation of new conveniences,
now everywhere available at small
cost, the stables and barns can be put in
shape, 80 that the work that must be
done in them can be done in half the
time or less. and animals kept under
better sanitary conditions.
Take the dairy barn. Properly equip.
ped with feed and litter carriers, and
with sanitary, easily-handled tying ar.
rangements, the labor of handling herd
of 40 cows will be even less than hand
ling 20 COWS under old methods OF feed
ing and cleaning. This is the testimony
of dairy farmers from all over the coun-
try. Moreover, the feed bills are actual
ly less. You see 1t is q common thing
for COWS to waste feed. Without just
the right kind of hangers they throw
grain and roughage out with their noses,
| where much is lost in cracks or under
their feet.
In soms stables, also, much OF the
feeding is by means of troughs. Where
this obtains there is a poor division OF
feed. Some cows get more than they
should. The fact is, each stall should
be properly equipped In order that
cow will obtain only what her keeper de-
cides ia best for her own and his inter.
ests. It follows that when the good
cJws receive more grain than the poor
cows, by preventing one from robbing
another, the milk yield will be increas
cd, and consequently the cost of prodnc-
ing the milk decreased.
Cows provided with comfort In eating,
resting and living their regular stable
lives, will render far better account OF
their feed in the milk pail than If annoy
ed by anything of disagreeable nature.
Thus, proper equipment induces health,
increases milk yields, lessons feed con-
sumption and cuts the labor costs.
It's all simply case OF figures. Try
little figuring in your own barn win
your own herd. Suppose you have 80
COWS. You decide to add feed and
litter carrier, easily handled tying facili.
ties, you provide shed under which to
run the manure, where 1t can be dumped
right into q manure spreader. Is 1t
stating the case too strongly to say that
on this labor item alone you can save 81
day on hired help? II the cows are
stabbed 270 days year that saving In
caring for the cows, in handling the ma
nure IN stable and on spreader, the saw
ing in labor in feeding the COWS would
in itself total $27O year.
Now suppose also that under these
more pleasant conditions the COWS give
pint more of milk day, or 40 quarts
year, and this milk is worth just : cents
a quart, there is S4.20 COW, or S126
year extra made on herd Of 30 cows.
No more labor, no more feed, no more
expense! That profit of S128 equals the
interest on s2100 at 6 percent And
with that sum you could pretty nearly
build new barn with every dairy con-
veuience added. Now figure the saving
in feed, the health of cows, the effect on
the boys, and then ask yourself II, after
all, equippipg the stables isn't just the
very best thing you could possibly do.
Nor are these stable good things avail
able only for the dairy barn. The horse
stalls, the old hog house, the calf pens,
the poultry house, all are as deserving
of modern equipment. The cost In these
cases will be small in comparison with
equipping large dairy stable, but the
convenience will be as greatly enjoyed,
and the saving in feed and labor just as
marked as is the case OF the cows.
1t isn't the cost that deters when 1t
comes to doing the right thing. Lifting
the foot to take the step is where the
trouble lies. Few men ever bought
pure-bred bull or boar or stallion, or dug
the dltch for tile to drain field, or
bought first spraying machine, or ma
nure spreader, or started any big I'm
provement, who didn't first hesitate.
But putting off the making over OF the
old, out-of-date stable is far greater
loss to the farm and the farmer than US
| ing a grade sire, or neglecting to tile,
drain or spray, or allowing the barnyard
manure to waste away.
Each man can also make the expense
meet his pocketbook. Materials vary In
cost. Some folks like iron and steel,
others cement and concrete, and still
others wood. There is difference In
cost, of course. The best start is to
look over your needs, size up the situa-
tion, investigate as to what the cost will
be, and then make the decision whether
to 90 ahead or wait. The man who puts
off never gets very far with any hing.
Now, what are some Of the things the
up o-date dairy stable should have?
First and foremost, good ventilation and
much sunlight; then a good floor Of
wood, cork, tile, wood blocks or cement.
Now follow sanitary stalls aud hangers
| for feed, ties that give comfort and that
are easily aud quickly fastened or unfas-
| tened, some method of carrier for deliv'
ering the feed right to the hangers,
both grain, silage and hay, and similar
carrier for removing the manure from
the stalls to the spreader under cover
without. Water vessels 10 the stall or
other means of watering may be selected
in accordance with each individuaPs
choice. Some prefer one method OF
watering, other folks other methods
N. E. Homestead.
Prepare for Vlsito's.