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872 THE GENESEE FAEMEE. 



THE WINTERING OF STOCK. 



Taking the last census as the basis of the calculation, and there are at this time about 

 six hundred million dollars worth of live stock in the United States. Their value 

 exceeds that of all the manufacturing establishments in the country, and also exceeds 

 the capital employed in commerce, both inland and foreign. Live stock is an immense 

 national interest, but one which has been sadly overlooked by American statesmen and 

 writers on public economy. How to winter cattle, horses, hogs,' sheep, and poultry in 

 the most economical way, all things considered, is a subject on wbidi an instructive 

 volume might be written. The science of animal physiology sheds much light on the 

 business of keeping live stock, both in winter and summer ; and if properly studied in 

 its bearings on this great interest, would add indefinite millons to the income of farmers, 

 and the wealth of the nation. But how can we persuade our readers to study animal 

 physiology in connection with the production of the flesh of their domestic animals ? 

 It is impossible to show them the valuable fruits of any science relating to husbandry 

 before its seeds are permitted to be planted and cultivated in any State in the Union. 

 Nevertheless, as the truths of science and the truths of empiricism never contradict 

 each other, many learn by the latter not a little of the wisdom taught by the former. 

 Thus science informs us wJit/ it is that cattle and other animals subsist on less food in 

 winter, and keep in better order, if well stabled or housed, and regularly fed, than they 

 will if subjected to the rigors of cold storms, snow, rain, mud, and irregular feeding. 

 The latter system consumes both forage and flesh, needlessly, and, of course, involves a 

 prodigious loss to such as follow it. Warmth is the equivalent of food, because food is 

 used in the bodies of all animals to generate what we call animal heat. How far warm 

 stables will save hay, grain, roots, corn-stalks, and other food of domestic animals, is 

 not known ; but a number of experiments lead to the conclusion that one-third may 

 thus be saved with advantage to stock. A man at work out in the cold of winter needs 

 double the food that would serve him if he remained idle in a warm room through the 

 winter; and the same is true of an ox or horse. A large share of all domestic animals 

 do not work, and are kept for the production of flesh, milk, or wool. They need a 

 reasonable amount of exercise to preserve their health, as well as good keeping in the 

 matters of food, drink, and shelter. In wintering hogs, true economy requires that one 

 should keep no more than will give the maximum of flesh for the food consumed. To 

 keep a pig without his gaining in weight involves not only the loss of the food he con- 

 sumes, but all the injury resulting from stunting his growth. Few are aware of the 

 damage done to young animals by prematurely arresting the growth of their bones and 

 muscles. A stunted pig, calf, colt, or lamb has received an irreparable injury. You 

 can no more fully make amends for the shock given to the vital functions, than you can 

 give a horse a new seeing eye in place of one that has been put out by violence. No 

 after-feeding of a horse will give him a new eye ; and no good keeping will develop an 

 animal frame perfect in all its parts after it has been stunted in youth. Most farmers 

 attempt to keep too much stock, both in winter and summer, for their food to be manu- 

 factured into flesh, dairy products, or wool. A few superior animals well housed in 

 winter, and well fed at all times, yield the largest profit. Of course, stables should be 

 properly ventilated that all animals may have a full supply of pure air. Most stables, 

 and all sheds, give too much of it, especially in cold wintry weather. Look out for a 

 plenty of straw, or other litter, to absorb all urine, unless you have a tank or other 

 reservoir for it to run into. Manure is now as valuable as money at ten per cent, com- 

 pound interest; for all the crops that manure aids so much in their annual growth sell 

 at high prices. It costs nearly as much to plow, plant, hoe, and harvest an acre of corn 

 to obtain 25 bushels as 50 bushels ; and manure will double the crop. 



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