Nov. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 809 



Safeguarding Farm Stock from Disease* 



(3) By Correct Peeding. 



[Continued from page 730.] 



MAX HENRY, M.R.C.V.S., B.V.Sc. 



CATTLE. 



Owing to the natural conditions under which the majoi'ity of cattle are kept 

 in this country, the diseases associated with feeding are intimately connected 

 with seasonal variations, such as the frequent dry periods and the almost 

 equally frequent, though much shorter, periods of heavy rain and floods, with 

 the consequent rapid growth of succulent green herbage and grass. Forms 

 of disease in'which food deficiency, in some form or other, and sudden changes 

 from dry to green feed, play an important part, are very prevalent. This is 

 not the case in countries having an equable climate ; digestive troubles there 

 are principally found in cattle which are stall-fed, and though the number of 

 cattle so treated in this country is only a very small proportion of the whole, 

 it will tend to increase, and some attention must be given to methods of 

 artificial feeding and the digestive troubles incidental to it. 



The great influence of proper feeding on productivity, either of beef or milk, 

 and the methods best calculated to maintain and increase this qualification, 

 do not come within the scope of these articles, but before passing to the 

 diseases connected with paddock-fed cattle, some reference will be made to 

 the principles governing stall feeding. Naturally the methods of feeding an 

 animal with a simple stomach of limited capacity, such as the horse, cannot 

 be applied to cattle which have a compound stomach of large size. While 

 the best results are obtained from frequent small feeds to the horse they are 

 obtained by large feeds at longer intervals with cattle. The proportions of 

 concentrated food to bulky food are also quite diiFerent, as cattle can deal 

 with far more bulky material, and can usefully ingest food of a fibrous 

 nature, which would be of very little value to the horse. In other respects, 

 however, the same principles apply when the animals are stall-fed. 



Regularity of feeding is of great importance, sudden changes of food should 

 be avoided, musty or mouldy food is dangerous, and some care is required to 

 balance the ration from the point of view of disease. Certain deficiencies in 

 many f»f the natural pastures can well be supplied by some modified form of 

 stall feeding, and disease incidental to such deficiency avoided in that way. 

 Better results will usually be obtained from feeding cattle on a mixed ration 

 than from^using one composed entirely of the products of one particular 

 plant. 



