494 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



Usually in the hot summer season, it is not very often 

 that such stock as horses, cattle, sheep or swine, need 

 protection from storms. In some instances, they may, how- 

 ever, when these are prolonged, and especially when the 

 rainfall is of the . drenching character. In the late spring 

 and early autumn, storms sometimes occur so prolonged 

 and severe as to result in much harm to live stock that 

 are not housed during their continuance. The reference is 

 to cold rains. They are more harmful to stock than many 

 of the snow storms of the winter. Lambs and young 

 swine, and animals of all classes that are weakly, suffer 

 much from them. The pastures also may suffer much from 

 treading at such times, especially should the animals be 

 possessed of much weight. 



Temperature in stables. The degree of warmth re- 

 quired by domestic animals differs: (i) With the species 

 (see p. 98) ; (2) with condition in the animals (see p. 395) ; 

 (3) with the age (see p. 490), and (4) with the climate 

 (see p. 79). In many instances those differences have 

 not been sufficiently regarded in the management of live 

 stock. 



From what has just been stated, it will be manifest 

 that the proper degree of temperature to be maintained in 

 stables for domestic animals will vary considerably. For 

 work horses that are tied and blanketed, the temperature 

 should not go below, say 36, nor above 60, with, say 

 about 48 as a mean. When not blanketed it may properly 

 range higher by a few degrees. When loose in box stalls, 

 it may be a few degrees lower. The degree of temperature 

 named would also be suitable for foals, while young animals 

 but older than foals would do as well or better with 

 temperatures a few degrees lower. The temperature suited 

 to dairy cows would run from, say 40 to 60, with say, 

 50 as a mean. 



For animals fattening it would run from 32 to 50, 

 with 40 as a mean. The more advanced the fattening 

 period the lower should be the temperature. For calves 



