CATTLE. 105 



cattle, and which seems to be the chief reliance of the farmer, consists of the mixed grasses 

 of the pasture, or their equivalents in hay or ensilage. 



To these, as circumstances and conditions may require, are added grain of various kinds, 

 roots and other edible material. In the northern section of the country, where the winters 

 are long, cattle should have their pasture supplemented with other food quite early in the 

 season. This prevents them losing flesh at the beginning of the winter, and enables them to 

 go into their winter quarters in good condition. The grasses become greatly injured by the 

 hard frosts for a long time before snow covers the ground, and as an article of food lose in this 

 way much of their nutritive properties. When, therefore, the pasturage begins to fail, cattle 

 should be fed with a suitable amount of other food to make up this deficiency, the quantity 

 given being increased as the season advances, until the pastures come to be depended upon. 



This will prove a more economical method than to allow the cattle to lose flesh before 

 winter sets in, although it requires a larger amount of hay and grain to be used during the 

 season. It is the poorest kind of policy to delay giving grain or other feed to cattle until 

 they are finally placed in their stables for winter. At all events, individual animals that 

 have not attained a good condition should be selected out and given an extra allowance of 

 food of the best quality. 



There is an old adage commonly repeated, but none the less true, that it will be well for 

 all farmers to bear in mind in this connection, which is as follows: &quot;A beast well summered, 

 is half wintered; and well wintered, is half summered.&quot; By heeding the above maxim, no 

 time will be lost in the growing period of the animal, or in recovering from the poor condi 

 tion occasioned by insufficient food. Cattle should be in good condition at the beginning of 

 winter, and kept so through the season. 



Quality and Quantity of Food, etc. &quot;With respect to the quality and quantity of 

 food to be given cattle, no definite rule can be prescribed which would apply to all cases, each 

 depending upon many and varying circumstances, such as age, the use required of the ani 

 mal, the season, the system of feeding, etc. Some cattle require a much larger amount of 

 food in proportion to their size than others. In all cases the quantity will be largely 

 influenced by the quality. Under no circumstances should cattle be kept hungry, but should 

 always have a sufficient amount of food to satisfy hunger, for both humane reasons and those 

 of economy, it being the most unprofitable course for any farmer to pursue to keep cattle or 

 any animal in a half -starved condition. 



Young cattle should always be fed well, for there is no time in the life of an animal when 

 good food and a liberal supply in proportion to the size, is as much in demand or pays as well 

 to supply, as when the animal is growing. This is the time when the system is to be built up 

 with flesh and bone material, and increased in size; besides the ordinary wastes are to be met, 

 and a good supply of the material in the form of proper food must be given to accomplish it 

 all. They therefore require more food in proportion to their size than mature animals, in 

 which the muscular substance and bone structure are fully formed. 



If beef is the object, the food given must be in quality and quantity to produce the best 

 and largest amount of beef in the shortest possible time. Milch cows should be given food 

 that will induce the largest secretion of milk; they also require that of a better quality than 

 stock having no such drain upon the system. When an ox is being worked, he should have 

 an additional amount of food given to that allowed when idle. 



Corn meal is excellent, combined with grass, hay, or ensilage, either for oxen that are 

 being fattened or for those used in labor, the former of course being fed much the largest 

 quantity of meal. Roots are excellent for milch cows, also ensilage, cut feed, such as 

 hay, oats, millet, or corn stalks mixed with shorts, and corn meal, linseed or cotton seed meal, 

 thoroughly moistened with water. Warm water should be used for moistening in winter. 

 Oat meal and a few roots are good food to supplement hay or ensilage for young cattle. 



