782 the farmers' handbook. 



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 different, 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 otlier respects, 

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



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 of 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. 



Foodstuffs used for Cattle. 



The commoner materials used in feeding cattle may be brief!}' described,, 

 although diseases of the digestive tract in cattle which are stall-fed are not 

 so intimately connected with any particular food or foods as is the case with 

 horses. The descriptions are merely examples of the different types of 

 food used, and an approximate idea only is given of the best method of 

 utilising them. 



Lucerne {hay or chaff). — A most valuable food, which, on account of its 

 high nitrogenous content can be largely utilised in place of more expensive 

 concentrated food, and when mixed with corn or other silage and bran 

 furnishes a very useful ration. A very safe food. 



Silage {corn or sorghum). — A very useful bulk food, but care should be 

 taken that no mouldy silage is fed. Owing to its succulence it is of great 

 value to dairy cattle, and being slightly laxative the digestive tract is kept 

 in good condition by its use. 



Chaff {oaten and wheaten). — A useful bulk food, but requires more 

 concentrates to balance the ration than does lucerne chaff. 



Bran. — One of the best forms of concentrated food for cows, and of 

 great value in maintaining health by its action on the digestive organs, its 

 mineral content, and its power of protecting stock from some disease 

 conditions associated with food deficiency. 



Hay {grass and clover). — Although not much utilised in this country, hay 

 furnishes excellent roughage for cattle, and if made from a mixture of grass 

 and clover is especially valuable. It forms an excellent medium for supply- 

 ing the long rough feed which is so beneficial to all ruminants, and which 



