The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-11-18
FOR SALE AT YOUR GR0CERS
WINTER CARE OF STOCK.
Profitable Wintering of Farm Animals De.
ponds Largely upon Economical Feeding.

Profitable Wintering of Farm Animals De
ponds Largely upon Economical Feeding
F.. The fall season is here and with it ap.
proaches the winter feeding problem. II
is time 70 consider what feed can most
profitably be used. Grains will be high
and should be fed judiciously. The bulk
of the feed used for wintering stock
should be made up of roughages from the
farm. Small amounts of concentrates,
fed daily with these feeds, make COM
paratively cheap rations entirely suitable
! to certain classes of live stock.
For convenience in planning winter
feeding, farm animals may be divided
into three classes:
l. Mature animals not producing an
income during winter months.
II. Animals producing an income dur
ing the winter.
III. Young and growing stock to be
retained on the farm the following sum-
mer.
In Class l may be included all mature
i live stock held on the farm, either for
breeding purposes, future work, or finish
| ing for market the following summer.
! In Class II may be included work
horses, cows producing milk, and stock
being fattened for market or conditioned
| for sale during the winter months.
In Class III may be included all young
and growing stock on the farm.
The big saving in the winter feed bill
can be made with Glass |. This does not
mean that animals of this class should be
permitted to come through the winter in
run-d down and weakened condition.
Rather than consider such practice, it
hn for To no in
| the fall. 1t is meant, however, that they
can and should be maintained on the
cheaper feeds. Roughages, supplement-
| ed by small amount of concentrates
| (oil 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, and pastures
| Horses and sheep may have access to
| husk ed-out cornfieds. In certain sections
where losses Of cattle have been expert
enced in the past from the so-called corn
| stalk disease farmers should consider this
| fact before turning cattle into such corn
fields. AS the winter advances. open the
| bars to shelters, feed racks, and grain
| troughs.
Corn silage will be invaluable at this
time, especially for cattle and sheep.
Keep the feed racks filled with corn
slower, hay, and straw, but do not be
wasteful in the feeding.
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 condition of
stock. This is a point that can only be
decided in the feed lot. To permit the
stock to go entirely without concentrates
at this time would be a grave mistake,
and in all probability make impossible
the task of bringing it to spring feed in
healthy and vigorous condition. Such
a condition is imperative in the case of
breeding animals and essential for feed
ers if best results are to be obtained.
The matter of feeding hogs, included
in Class |, presents an entirely different
problem from that of the stock. 1t is
true that they may profitably be run on
| grain fields, meadows, and pastures be-
fore snow arrives, but concentrates must
constitute much of their ration after
outside fields are closed for winter.
Roots, chopped alfalfa hay, apples, and
waste products of the dairy and house,
the cost of their winter feed. In fact,
any products that will substitute for the
forages and grasses in the field, which
feeds are so essential to the conditioning
of brood soWs, can we'll be used.
Concerning the feed for stock included
in Glass II little need be said. 1t is a
fact we'll known that horses at work re-
quire both care and feed. This they
must receive if their work is done, To
furnish the dairy COW with rations not
intended to meet the demands made upon
her system by the milk she gives would
defeat the purpose for which she is kept.
Equally certain would the stinting of the
ration of fattening steers or hogs fail tc
make them ready for the Christmas
market. AS the food requirement fol
these different classes of live stock is g
matter of common knowledge to stock
men, it remains only to see that it is
provided in abundance.
With Class III, the young and growing
stock, most costly mistakes in feeding
occur. A full realization of the fact thai
cheapest and most rapid gains in live
stock are made with younger animals
should do much toward obviating losses
to farmers through insufficient and i'm
proper feeding of such animals. TIT
failure 10 put gains on animals during
the growing period intended for them b.
nature can not be corrected by copiou
feedir at any later time Their growth
mas peen StuhLeu, anu TdTely VIII Inc.
fully recover from the earlier setback
Even when they do it is costly prac' ic
to put growth and flesh on stunted ami
NAL, as compared to what could hav
been done when he was in healthy ant
vigorous condition.
But it is not necessary that young stocl
be fed IS are fattening animals. Watc
their feed troughs and see that all of tn
daily rations are consumed. Do not fee
them in excess, but make certain the
fare contented after each feeding. Sc
that the exercise lot is used daily an
that clean water is provided. The failur
!. to feed young stock properly will ope
d the way for future serious troubles, an
r no stockman can afford to encourage sue
8 a practice, even during the white
d months.-U. S. Dept of Agriculture.