10 



THE SCIENCE OF WINTERING LIVE STOCK. 



comfortable sheds for cattle; forgetful of the gi-eat 

 physiological truth, that artificial warmth is the 

 equivalent of costly food to a considerable extent, in 

 the wintering of all domestic animals. In cold weath- 

 er, the warm bodies of all animals radiate heat very 

 rapidly, unless protected by fur, wool, or a covering 

 of thick hair, like that found on deer, sheep and Po- 

 lar bears. No fact in modem science is better estab- 

 lished, than that all animal heat is the product of 

 food consumed either a few hours before the heat is 

 evolved, or some days or months previously, and con- 

 verted into fat, which is stored up in the system to 

 meet aay contingency of defective nourishment. An- 

 imal fat is one of Nature's curious balance wheels to 

 mamtain the even course of vital functions when the 

 ordinary supply of food is withheld from any cause 

 whatever, Although a fat animal in the beginning 

 of winter may be taken through with a less consump- 

 tion of food than would suffice if it were poor, yet, 

 to burn up the fat in his body to maintain the neces- 

 sary degree of animal heat, instead of feeding hay, 

 straw, cornstalks, roots or grain, is to pay full six 

 times more for such heat than one need to pay. If 

 we can succeed in making this fact clear to the masses 

 who keep stock, it is to be hoped that not so many 

 animals will be allowed to become so much poorer 

 in the spring than they were in the fall. It is not 

 simply then- apparent surplus of fat which animals 

 part with in cold weather when sparingly fed, but 

 they lose also a part of their lean meat, by the daily 

 absorption of their musclns. A lean animal has 

 flattened, thin, impoverished muscles, as well as defi- 

 ciency of fat, so that his skin and bones are nearly 

 in close contact. It is, then, preeminently a practi- 

 cal question — What is the economical value of a 

 pound of fat and of a pound of lean meat, sacrificed 

 in wmtering a cow or a steer, to sustain life, as com- 

 pared with a pound of good hay, aa ordinarily con- 

 sumed for a similar purpose? 



The elements in fat which are truly burnt up in 

 the system of an animal to keep it warm, as it be- 

 comes poor from a lack of suitable food, are carbon 

 and hydrogen. Now, let the plain farmer bear in 

 mind this fact — that a pound of carbon in the fat of 

 a living animal, consumed in the process of respira- 

 tioii which supplies the blood with vital air for that 

 purpose, yields no more heat to warm the body of 

 said animal, than a pound of carbon taken into the 

 circulation from hay, cornstalks or straw. If it were 

 true that a pound of carbon derived from forage 

 would replace that amount of carbon in the form of 

 fat in the cells of a poor animal, then an animal 



might subsist in part aa cheaply on its own fat as on 

 hay and straw, grain or roots. But all experience, 

 not less than the deductions of true science, proves 

 that a pound of common cattle food does not, and 

 cannot possibly form over one or two ounces of fat, 

 under the most favorable circumstances. To extract 

 an ounce of clear fat or tallow from a pound of good 

 hay, is more than most farmers achieve. If this 

 statement be true, (and successful contradiction is 

 respectfully invited, if it can be furnished,) why 

 should any economical man allow his stock to subsist 

 in part on their own fat and flesh, which is worth 

 from five to fifteen cents a pound? If common for- 

 age is too expensive to give them all they really need, 

 pray how much cheaper food for them is solid fat 

 and lean meat? In the order of nature, life cannot 

 be maintained without the expulsion of considerable 

 carbon and hydrogen at every breath, derived either 

 from food, or a part of the solids of the body. Ema- 

 ciation has never been discussed, never studied aa 

 thoroughly as it ought to be. Bightly understood, 

 it would be avoided with ten fold more care and 

 profit than is now generally witnessed. 



It is true that animals may regain their flesh after 

 suffering much from want of food and exposure du- 

 ring the winter, if they do not die in the spring; but 

 the stunt and shock given to the healthy development 

 of every part of the system, are not so easily over- 

 come as some suppose. Why is it that Short-horned 

 cattle sell at such apparently extravagant prices ? 

 For no other substantial reason than the fact that 

 this breed, by the superior keep and selections, ap- 

 phed to many generations, comes very early to matu- 

 rity. Animals only 24 months old, give as much 

 good flesh in the best Short-horns, as is commonly 

 obtained from inferior stock when three, four or five 

 years of age. Such precocious development presents 

 many important advantages to one who breeds and 

 fattens cattle for beef This principle of never per- 

 mitting stock to stop growing in winter no more than 

 in summer, cannot be neglected without involving 

 great loss. It is very much like drying ofl" a cow 

 when her milk is largely and healthily secreted, and 

 then attempting to bring her lactiferous system at 

 once back to its former condition. Nature revolts 

 against such treatment, and the vital currents long 

 persist in running in new channels. Physiological 

 science teaches the necessity of uniformity in feeding 

 animals the year round. They may endure through 

 the wonderful plasticity of their various organisms 

 and vital functions, repeated and protracted short 

 allowance joined with an uncomfortable degree o' 



