62 i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 7 
Live Stock and Dairy 
DAIRY AMD FARM NOTES. 
Discussion of a Balanced Ration. 
I wish to get a fjtiriy good ration fOr 
cows without purchasing much hay. 1 
have prospects of plenty of corn and fodder 
corn, mangels, parsnips and sugar beetfe. 
Advise how you would feed same to make 
a balance, and what is best to add to it? 
New York. h. b. 
Assuming, of course, that these cows 
are in a good flow, and are of good 
milking stock (and by that I mean cows 
that are making 250 or more pounds of 
butter, or its equivalent in milk or 
cheese) to analyse the foods at hand 
we find first the corn and corn fodder. 
If this corn fodder is fed whole to the 
cows a somewhat different resultant na¬ 
tion will follow. I think this fact is not 
always recognized in ration making, 
When so-called corn fodder is fed whole, 
tivery feeder knows that the leaves and 
upper bontion are consumed without 
much waste, While the butt end of the 
stalk is found rejected. The leaves con¬ 
tain a greater proportion of protein, and 
the butts a greater proportion of car¬ 
bonaceous matter. The animal will al¬ 
ways make an effort to balance the ra¬ 
tion to her individual wants. To illus¬ 
trate: If the protein foods, such as cot¬ 
ton-seed, gluten, brewers’ grains or bran 
are fed with corn fodder, the animal will 
labor almost unceasingly to eat the 
whole stalk in her effort to get enough 
heat and energy-producing food. I have 
seen our cows eat well-ripened wheat 
straw with as much relish as they did 
clover hay or good silage when giving 
a full flow of milk, and not reduce the 
flow, and at times increase it some¬ 
what. This idea seems quite strange, 
but it simply shows the necessity of a 
certain amount of coarse dry fibrous 
matter, especially when the ration is 
deficient in sugars and starches. 
The reader will readily see that with 
a surplus of corn fodder for coarse food 
more of it will be consumed if the pur¬ 
chased food is gluten, cotton seed, or 
brewers’ grains (dried) fed in connec¬ 
tion with one-third wheat bran or oats 
ground. I would not be so particular 
which of the foods was used. The cost 
of a pound of protein would govern. For 
two years gluten feed containing 27 per 
cent protein, and purchasable at $18 to 
$21 per ton, has been a cheap protein 
food. As I write I am not posted on 
prices. We bought a part of a carload 
of gluten before the sharp rise in corn, 
at $21, which I considered reasonable. 
The mangels and sugar beets are quite 
well balanced. That is, a ration will 
not be materially changed in its ratio 
of protein to carbonaceous matter by 
the addition of either of these roots. 
But of course dry matter will not be in¬ 
creased very rapidly by their addition; 
100 pounds would not give the cow over 
10 pounds; a trifle more in the sugar 
beets, but not in the mangels. With the 
foods mentioned they will have a double 
function, viz., as a food and as a diges¬ 
tive agent. There is no mistaking it 
as a fact that succulence has a cash 
value. It is rather my judgment that 
most farmers are better fitted to grow 
corn silage as food and succulence com¬ 
bined, than to grow roots, and we hare 
quite abandoned root growing since 
feeding silage. But in institute work 
it is no uncommon thing to find very 
substantial and reliable farmers feeding 
both with profit, and this idea again 
brings up a very important question in 
animal feeding, palatability. The ques¬ 
tioner usually asks how to balance, but 
the cow, like the human, says: “I like 
it” or “I don’t like it”; that settles the 
question with mankind; and so it does 
with stock so far as profit is concerned. 
If roots are added we have also variety 
as well as palatability, and cows do cer¬ 
tainly like a variety of food when kept 
in the barn. We think sometimes that 
when at pasture they get only one kind 
of food. Not so; they are eating by far 
a greater variety than any feeder will 
furnish, hot only of grasses but weeds 
and herbs that furnish medicinal prop¬ 
erties as well as food. 
It is this variety, with the above-men¬ 
tioned reasons, why the animal will do 
so much better as a rule on pasture, 
with less bowel trouble, in fact, less 
trouble all the way through, and I am 
not sure but a run of the rougher lands 
on this account alone may be profitable 
where soiling is practical. It is the lack 
of these medicinal properties that has 
called for the patent stock foods on the 
market, which are sold at such extrava¬ 
gant prices. Practically all the food 
value they contain is found in their 90 
per cent oil meal. A very good substi¬ 
tute for these foods can be made of 100 
pounds oil meal, five pounds powdered 
charcoal, four pounds gentian, five 
pounds salt, three pounds fenugreek, 
three pounds saltpeter, five pounds Ep¬ 
som salts and three pounds allspice. 
This mixture will cost $5, or about four 
cents a pound, and my experience in 
feeding would warrant the statement 
that it is just as good as the high-priced 
stock foods. A little ginger may be 
added, and for Winter use increase its 
value. The charcoal is an absorbent; 
the gentian a fine tonic, fenugreek a 
flavoring, saltpeter a diuretic, Epsom 
salts a mild cathartic, and the allspice 
—well, I don’t know myself. A little 
mystery Is always valuable in an 3 d;hing 
we purchase. Prof. Voorhees says that 
“The fertilizer manufacturers mixed in 
a bit of mystery and got $5 a ton for 
it,” so in this combination we put in 
the allspice. 
To summarize, I should feed a half 
bushel of roots per cow, beginning with 
one-quarter that amount; a grain ration 
made up of at least one-third bran, or 
oats two-thirds, and in weight from five 
to 10 pounds, depending upon period of 
lactation and age and size of animal, 
and all the corn fodder the animals 
would eat and relish. If the cows were 
not holding enough flesh for health I 
would displace the grain ration above- 
mentioned with enough cornmeal to ac¬ 
complish the desired result. I am un¬ 
able to give any information in regard 
to parsnips. h. s. cook. 
THE MERITS OF LINCOLN SHEEP. 
The Lincolns were originally large 
and ungainly sheep. They were bred 
from time immemorial, on the low 
marsh lands of Lincolnshire, England, 
a great deal of this land having been 
reclaimed from the sea. Englishmen 
claim that Lincolns were crossed with 
the improved Bakewell Leicesters, 
which has greatly changed the character 
of them, and they are now ranked as 
one of the most useful breeds of the 
British Isles. In form they are larger 
than the Leicesters or CJotswolds; they 
are indeed the heaviest of all breeds, 
and if possible shorter in the neck. 
Their fleece is heavier, longer, and 
much finer. Their wool is, in fact, the 
longest of all the British breeds, often 
reaching 20 inches in length, and is 
usually massed in flakes or strands, 
moreover it is further distinguished by 
a peculiar brightness or luster which 
adds much to its value, no other wool 
having such brightness. It is said that 
it can be used for more purposes than 
any other wool raised in England. 
The principal buyers in the Lincoln 
mark^ are men from South America, 
South Africa, New Zealand and Aus¬ 
tralia, all these countries having a very 
dry atmosphere. The sheep certainly 
have adapted themselves to all countries 
they have been introduced into. They 
will thrive in the torrid zone as well as 
in the frigid. They are also becoming 
popular among the ranchmen of 
America to cross upon the range sheep 
to get wool and mutton. For a mutton 
sheep as compared with the other long- 
wooled breeds they are equalled by few 
and surpassed by none. They nave a 
strong constitution, and live to a good 
old age. While I exhibited at a western 
fair several years ago a Boston wool 
buyer asked leave to get into my pens 
and examine the wool. He gave it a 
thorough inspection. When he got 
through I asked him what he thought 
of the wool. He said that it had more 
life in it than any wool on the fair 
ground, and he also said that the Ameri¬ 
can people made a great mistake in 
crossing the American sheep, which he 
said was largely Merino, so much with 
the Down families. Then he gave his 
reasons for what he said. It does not 
increase the quantity, quality or length 
of fiber, but rather deteriorates it, more 
especially when crossed with the Shrop¬ 
shire, which he said was a poor wool 
at the best, and after the sheep got old 
it was very little better than shoddy. 
One reason why the South American 
people value the Lincolns so highly is 
for their superiority in crossing with the 
range sheep of that country. With care, 
attention and good management, they 
will do well almost anywhere. It is 
said that all sheep are a good deal what 
you make them, and to attain the best 
results they want good care. How do 
they compare with other long-wooled 
sheep? I have perhaps answered this 
question, but will try to answer it more 
exactly. One superiority over the Cots- 
wold is that their wool has more life in 
not being so dry and harsh; as compared 
with the Leicesters they will shear more 
wool, it being covered more evenly over 
the body and down on the legs. I have 
tried to keep within bounds, and would 
not like to write anything that would 
mislead or deceive the people. 
Marlette, Mich. Robert knight. 
Killed=Dead. 
You know that the horse 
buyer knocks off S50 or more 
for every lump or blemish on 
a horse. Get full value for 
i^our horse—don’t have any 
um ps. Cure him with 
X lattl&^s 
Elixir. 
__ It is guaranteed under a for¬ 
feit of $100. to cure any case of horse ail, curb, 
splints, contracted cord, callouses, thrush, etc. 
Used and Endorsed by Adams Express Company. 
^ TUTTLfS FAMILY ELIXIR cures rheumatism, sprains, 
bruises, etc.. Kills pain Instantly. Our 100-page book, 
“Veterinary Experience” FREE. 
Dr. S. A. TUTTLE, 30 Beverly St., Boston, Mass, 
Beware of so-called Elixiri,—nonegenaine bnt Tuttle’s. 
Avoidall blisters, they offer only temporary reUef If any. 
Sharpies “Tubular” 
Dairy Separators. 
Official Report of State Aufhcrities.r" 
University of Wisconsin—630 lbs 
per hour; test skim milk. . ,01 
Conn. Agr. College—927 lbs per 
hour; test skim milk.02 
Ohio State University—“Doing 
good work”t«st skim milk. 02 
Unlv. of Tenn.—-‘Very satisfac¬ 
tory;” test skim milk.. ..trace 
N. H. Agr. College—“The bovs 
like it;” test skim milk. .,01 
Hatch Experiment Station, Mass.—692 lbs 
perhour; testskimmilk . 02 
Kansas State Agr. College—660 lbs perhour; 
test skim milk. 03 
Pennsylvania Agr.College—“Did very good 
vrorfc. It skims very clean." 
University of Nebraska—“Runs very light. 
Doing good work.” 
Tuskegee, Ala.. Industrial Inst.—“The thor¬ 
oughness of skimming is remarkable. 
SHARPLES CO., P. M. SHARPLES, 
Chicago, Ills, West Chester, Pa. 
TKB OHATK-HAHOIKQ 
Cattle Stanchion 
When you write advertisers mention Thb 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“asquaredeal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
Breeders’ Directory 
JERSEY BULL 
Yearling— registered, from a great show cow; al. 
most faultless, by a producing sire Farmer’s price. 
B. F. SHANNON, 907 Liberty St., Pittsburg Pa. 
123 HOLSTEINSn.’^ 
DELLHUKST FARMS, Mentor, Ohio. 
CnD CJll C-’’URRBKED HOLSTRIN-FRIE- 
rUll OHLk SIANS. Two registered Bulls, 
ready for service. Above from best families. Write for 
breeding and prices. W. W. CHENKY, Manlius,N.Y. 
Holstein-Frieslan Bull 
ready for service, and a flue lot of Bull Calves. Best 
of breeding, and from deep producing families. 
C. K. KECOBD, Peterboro, N. Y. 
Re^«. P. Chinas, Bcrkshires and C. Whites. 
Choice Pigs. 8 weeks old, mated not 
ak II. Bred Sows and Service Boars. 
POULTRY. Write for hard tini,.B 
P'Ices and free circular. 
HAMIL I’ON & CO., Rosenwlck, Chester Co., Pa. 
SHROPSHIRES 
Either sex. Sired by England's prize 
winners. CHESTER WHITE SWINE. 
Descriptive circulars. 
S. SPRAGUE, Falconer, New York 
RAMS 
llcited. 
—A choice lot of Delaine and 
Black-Top Rams and Ewes 
to select from, will be sold 
_ cheap. Correspondence so- 
M. 0. MULKIN, Friendship, N. T. 
■ —i —We have 5,000 head 
D||0[Q|3 uOBTS including the whole 
of the John Hamlet 
flock, which took the Sweepstakes Prize at Kansas 
City Show. October, I'JOO. THB NATIONAL ANGORA 
GOAT AND CATTLE COMPANY, Wellsboro, Pa. 
QfllUl WKKBKTS. Flnt-olaas (took. Some 
CUVU Trained. New prlce-liit free. 
N. A. KNAPP, Rochester, Lorain Co., O 
Collie Pnps 
—Spayed Females. Circulars. SILAS 
DECKER, South Montrose, Pa. 
>Ki; 
ISPECIAL PRICES 
Trial. Guaranteed 
1C 
30 
)aye» 
' P«- 
. Double 
('utalog Free. Write now. 
'omblnation Beam, 
SCAIiR €0.. 
_ _ _ ICS Csntrsl 8v. 
BINGHAMTON. N.Y. 
Best Gaii Cure on Earth 
Mailed anywhere for 60 cents. 
MOORE BROS., Veterinary Surgeons, Albany, N. T 
NO SPAVINS 
The worst possible spaiin ean be enredln 
48 minutes. Garbs, slants and ringbonas 
jnst as quick. Not painful and never has 
failed. Detailed information abont thla 
new method sent free to horse owners. 
Write today. Ask for pamphlet No. 84. 
FLEMING BROS., Union Stock Yards,Chicsge, III. 
□ Don’t grope in the dark, avoid all 
mineral and poisonous substances—they 
heal unnaturally by scabbing and dry¬ 
ing. Insist on having 
Veterinary Pixine 
it subdues inflammation; penetrates, 
absorbs and bf als. Its power is a revela¬ 
tion. Positively cures old sores, chafes, 
chronic scratches, grease heel, speed 
cracks, hoof-rot, cow-pox, mange and 
swellings. 
Money back if it fails—our guarantee. 
2 ozs., 25c. I At all Druggists and 
8 ozs., 50c. > Dealers, or sent 
5 lbs., $4.00 ) prepaid. 
The moat practical and humane Fastener ever in¬ 
vented. Gives pMlectfreedom of the head. Illustrated 
Circular and Price free on application. Manufactured 
by O. H. ROBERTSON, ForestvUJe, Conn. 
TROY CHEMICAL CO., 
TItOY. N. Y. 
The BEST Cattle 
Fastening- 
SMITH’S ISelf- 
Adjusting Swing 
Stanchion- The only 
Practical swing stan¬ 
chion Invented. Thou¬ 
sands In use. Illust’d 
Circular free. 
GLENORA MFG. CO., 
Gleuora, Yates County, 
N. Y. Infrlugemeuts 
will be prosecuted. 
