CHAP. i. CATTLE CALENDAR. 1033 



consume, it should be increased very gradually, not more than from 

 ^ Ib. to | Ib. at a time. So long, however, as an animal eats up its 

 food cleanly and with relish, the system of feeding is generally right. 

 Some stock which "take kindly" to food make greater progress on a 

 small allowance than others on a larger. 



Store Cattle getting on for fattening should be well fed, allowances of 

 nutritious food being given them in addition to their usual food of 

 turnips and straw, this being the chief if not only food of those animals 

 which are to be grazed during the approaching summer. Give those 

 which are making poor progress extra allowances of oil-cake or home- 

 made meals daily. 



JANUARY. 



The cold weather which may be expected at this season will sharpen 

 the appetites of all animals, therefore the rations should be increased. 

 It is at this season that warm food, prepared either by steaming, or by 

 allowing the mixed roots and chaff to ferment for 24 hours, is most 

 beneficial, for instead of lowering the temperature of the animals as 

 cold or frozen roots do, it will raise it, and counteract the influence of 

 severe weather also. If any stock have to be " wintered " in outlying 

 pasture fields, give them supplies of rich food additional to that which 

 they may manage to pick up amongst perhaps snow-covered or ice- 

 bound herbage. See also to the condition of the water-troughs or 

 drinking-ponds. 



Young Stock, housed as they should be at the steading, must be 

 carefully attended to as regards supplies of food, clean bedding, and 

 water. See to the state of their general health, giving special atten- 

 tion to that of the bowels the best indication of the former. 



Store Cattle. See last month as to general directions. By this 

 time there is likely to be offal corn to be consumed, as a large pro- 

 portion of the threshing will have been done. If the food is prepared 

 by fermenting or cooking it is sufficient if the corn is only crushed, but 

 if the chaff is given dry it is best to have the corn ground to a fine 

 meal so that it will mix well with the chaff, and by making the latter 

 more palatable, will induce the animals to lick up the mixture quite 

 cleanly. It is never safe to give meal fresh off the stones as it is liable 

 to ferment in the stomach, thereby causing hoven or tympanitis : it 

 should be a fortnight old so that it may have thoroughly cooled. 



Fattening Cattle. Much, if not all, of what was recommended to be 

 done last month should be done this. Give as frequent changes of 

 food as the stock in hand will admit of. In no case, in severe weather, 

 give large feeds of cold or half-frozen roots ; but, before feeding with 

 them, keep them under cover for a day or two, and with clean not 

 musty straw strewed over them. Slice and mix the roots with straw- 

 chaff, oat-straw being the most nutritious. By way of change, pea- 

 haulm may be given in place of straw ; or, when mashes are adminis- 

 tered, bean-straw may be cut and mixed with the turnips and the allow- 

 ance of oil-cake. Pea-haulm and bean-straw should be steamed, as 

 otherwise they are hard and indigestible. 



