St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-11-13
WINTER CARE OF STOCK.
Profitable Wintering Of Farm AMI
mails Depends Largely Upon
@Economac6f FEEDING.

VU9 18Ik 8S8SOu II uSGU anu WIN -
approaches the winter feeding prob
lem. It il time to consider what
feed can most probably be used,
Grains will be high and should be
fed tudiciously. The bulk of the
feed used for wintering stock should
be made up of roughages grom the
farm. Small amounts OF concen-
trates, fed daily with these feeds,
make comparatively cheap rations
lentirely sQf1eble' to certain classes
OF live stock.
For convenience in planning win
ter feeding, farm animals maye be
divided into three classes:
1. Mature animals not produc-
ing an income during the winter
months.
2. Animals producing an income
during the winter months.
8. Young and growing stock to
be retained on the farm the follow
ing summer.
In Glass ! may be included all
mature live stock held on the farm
either for breeding purposes, future
work, or finishing for market the
following summer.
In Class 2 may be included work
horses, cows producing milk. and
stock being fattened for market or
conditioned for sale during the win
ter months.
In Class may be included all
young and growing stock on the
farm.
The big saving in the winter feed
bill can be made with Class !. THIS
does not mean that animals Of this
class should be permitted to come
through the winter in q rundown
and weakened condition. Rather
than consider such q practice, 1t
would be far better to sell the
stock in the fall. 1t Is meant. how
ever. that they can and should be
maintained on the cheaper feeds.
Roughagss, supplemented by small
amount Of concentrates Toll meal or
grain) are in favor for them. Give
the horses, cattle, and sheep access
to cut-over grain fields and straw
stacks, meadows, wooded lots, ana
pastures. Horses. and sheep may
have access to husked-out c0rndields.
In certain sections where losses o.
cattle have been experienced in the
past from the so-called cornstalk dr.
ease farmers should consider thds
fact before turning cattle into sucn
cornfields. AS the winter advances,
open the bars to shelters. iced
racks, and grain troughs. 81
Corn silage will be invaluable 81
this time, especially for cattle and
sheep. Keep the feed racks filled
with corn stover, hay. and straw,
but do not be wasteful In the feed
Ing. ~
The amount of grain to put In the
trough can not definitely be given,
The same should vary in accordance
with severeness Of winter and con-
dition Of stock. This is q point
that can only be decided In the iced
lot To permit the stock to- 60 en-
tirely without concentrates ct this
time would be = grave mistake. and
in all probability make Impossible
the task OF bringing 1t to spring feed
in 4 healthy and vigorous c0ndi-
ton. Such q conditions h impefa-
tive in the case of breeding ana.
mails and essential for feeders II
best results are to be obtained.
The matter Of feeding hogs, In
cluded in Glass /, presents An en-
tirely different problem from that q
the other stock. It is true thai
they may probably be fun on gartp
fields, meadows, and pastures before
snow arrives, but concentrates must
constitute much Of their ration after
outside ields are closed for winter
Roots, chopped alfalfa hay. apples
and waste products Of the dairy and
household will do much toward
keeping down the cost Of their win
ter feed. In fact, any products thai
will substitute for the forages and
grasses In the held, which feeds are
30 essential to the conditioning Of
brood sows, can we'll be used. Is
Concerning the feed for stock In
cluded In Class 2 little need be said
| Il il q fact web known that horsea
at work require both care and feed
This they must receive IL their work
IL done. TO furnish the dairy COW
with rations not intended to mee'
the demands made upon her system
by the milk she gives would defea'
the purpose for which she - kept
Equally certain would the Stlntinl
OF the ration Of fattening steers o.
| hoxs fail to make" Them ready To-
the Christmas market. As the feet
| requirement for these df6erent class