114 FEEDING ANIMALS. 



of the greater economy of controlling the temperature in 

 which their cattle are kept in winter by warm barns, 

 instead of exposing them to the cold, external air, with its 

 storms of wind, rain and snow, and expending a large 

 amount of food to produce the heat which is lost by this 

 exposure. The time will certainly come when there shall 

 be an accurate comparison between the two systems of 

 out-door and in-door feeding in winter. As heretofore 

 stated, all the comparisons made between these two modes 

 of feeding have been with cattle unaccustomed to in-door 

 feeding, and the nervous excitement counterbalanced the 

 benefit of the warmer temperature, there remaining only 

 the saving in food. This period of out-door feeding has 

 occurred in every state during the first half-century of its 

 growth, but has gradually disappeared as land and food 

 became dearer. 



If a large number of cattle are to be fed on one farm 

 large barns will be more economical than small ones. But 

 if it is proposed to feed one thousand head of cattle under 

 one roof, the form of this barn will have much to do with 

 its cost, as well as the expense of labor in feeding. If it 

 were constructed in one long barn, with two rows of cattle, 

 or 500 head in a row, the barn must be 1,625 feet long, or 

 nearly 100 rods. This would be quite too long drawn out. 

 We must seek for a form of barn radiating from a center, 

 with eight double rows of cattle. This will give a distance 

 of only 203 feet each way from the center, allowing 3 feet 

 3 inches for each steer. 



OCTAGON EIGHT-WINGED BARN. 



But as room will be required at the center for many 

 purposes, in feeding so many cattle, we must have an 

 octagonal center, each side of which is wide enough for a 

 wing to radiate 30 feet wide. This will require an octagonal 

 center 80 feet in diameter, giving sides about 33 feet 2 



