464 Practical JExperiences in the Preparation of Food for Stock. 
\_For Schedule of Questions, see page 448.] 
Mr. John Speir — continued. 
18. For cows in full milk only, or witli a slight modification for store in- 
calf cows. My experience does not go further. 
T9. I feel quite convinced that the most cannot he made ont of either 
cows or food unless they are kept warm, and their food and drink are given 
warm. This applies particularly to cows in fall milk. So much is this the 
case that even with very comfortable quarters every night's frost will lower 
the production of milk from 2 up to 10 or 12 per cent., which immediately 
returns with the mild weather. A single drink of cold water will often cause 
congestion in the udder, and always lowers the milk yield. 
Mr. Hunter Pringle, Eastmere, Watton, Norfolk. 
3. Yes. I use for feeding purposes tliree-quarters of the straw I grow. I 
do so in the firm belief that straw, when properly treated, is valuable food, that 
by using as much as possible for food I can keep a maximum of stock, and 
therefore have a maximum of manure (both quantity and quality), and have 
a maximum of profit from stock. The system of open yards is a great flaw 
in English husbandry. I calculate the loss entailed by waste of valuable 
feeding straw in England amounts to a tax of 7s. per acre on the arable land 
throughout the country. 
4. My cattle are partly tied up, on a system which renders litter straw 
almost unnecessary. The platforms on which they stand are formed of con- 
crete, laid off in V-groove bricks. The platform is 6i feet long, with a slope 
of one inch to the foot. Behind the bullock is a small sunk gutter, into 
which the solid manure drops. The liquid from heifers falls direct into this 
gutter ; with bullocks the V-grooves carry it at once into the gutter. In order 
to make the best manure in every place, the rough manure from four horses is 
shaken up, the freces are thrown upon the manure heap (under roof), and the 
straw spread below the tied-up cattle. The straw from four horses beds eight 
beasts. In my covered yards waste, wet, or .^soiled straw, weeds, thatch 
straw, or any useless material is used as litter. 1 find wo u.'^e fully twelve 
of food straw to one of litter. 
5. T chaO'all my straw. Were T to litter my tied-up beasts with straw 
other than what comes from the stables, I would have it all cliafled. Cattle 
do not pull chaffed litter into rolls or lumps, consequently the bed is always 
even. Wbere a Mnynard is used, the riddlings or dressings should be used 
for litter and the short lengths for food. I consider the chaffing of straw 
absolutely necessary if the greatest profit and the least waste is to be derived 
from cattle or stock-feeding or management. 
