THE RAISING AND ECONOMICAL FEEDING OF CATTLE. 783 



Another important matter is the necessity of changing their diet. An- 

 imals will live on one particular food . They will even thrive for a time ; but 

 the best results, economically considered, have always been gained by 

 varying the food, according to the appetite of the animal. The change 

 from green to dry, and dry to green food, however, should not be made too 

 suddenly. 



XVII. When and How to Peed. 



Hay, in the West, is one of the most expensive of the stock foods raised in 

 all that great region known as the corn belt. In the more central portions of 

 the corn zone, a ton of corn and fodder can be produced for less money than 

 a ton of the best meadow hay. Hence, feeders use as largely of corn as 

 possible, and when finishing off cattle fat, it is given almost exclusively, 

 or with only enough rough fodder to properly divide it. Regularity in 

 the amount of the ration fed is of particular importance. All animals 

 should be fed at exactly regular hours, and just what they will eat clean. 

 If any is left, it should be removed and given to other hungrier animals. 

 As to the time of feeding, three times a day is sufficient for all except 

 horses and swine. In fattening swine the best results are obtained by 

 giving them what they will eat clean four times a day. There will always 

 be some animals that will be delicate and indifferent feeders. These 

 should always be separated from the hearty ones and given special care 

 and food. Get rid of them at the first possible opportunity ; certainly as 

 soon as they are in passably salable condition. There is no money either 

 in trying to raise or fatten such. 



When cattle are kept in a stable there should be a room, frost proof, 

 where the morning's food may be prepared over night, if mixed food or 

 wet food is given. If meal or other grain food is given without mixing 

 with hay or straw — and in our opinion this is better for cattle — it should 

 be given only moist enough so it will not be dry. A little experience ^vill 

 soon enable the feeder to so prepare the meal for the whole stock over 

 night, that it will be in proper condition in the morning. If it be mixed 

 with cut food, use clear bright oat straw if possible, and not cut shorter 

 than two inches. 



XVIII. Out-Door Feeding where Corn is Cheap. 

 In the milder latitudes of the West it has been found economical to 

 feed in the o[)en air where the shelter of timber or artificial plantings may 

 be had. Careful experiments made some years since at the Illinois Indus- 

 trial University, as between feeding in stables with ground and unground 

 corn, showed a decided profit in the latter way of feeding. This we have 

 also found to be the case. Under this system of feeding, whether the 

 stock are fed snapped corn, or fed with husked corn, very little is lost. 



