THE CULTIVATOR. 
381 
WINTERING STOCK. 
Throughout a considerable portion of the country, 
there is a scarcity of materials on which to feed stock 
the coming winter. The general warmth and moisture 
of the atmosphere, however, since the occurrence of 
rains in the beginning of autumn, have much promoted 
the growth of grass; thus fortunately affording an op¬ 
portunity for grazing up to a late period of the season. 
And where fields of rye have been sown for the purpose 
of giving late fall and early spring pasturage, the favor¬ 
ableness of the season has probably induced a growth 
which will furnish support in a great degree, to light 
cattle and sheep. Yearlings, calves, and sheep, may 
therefore be grazed on such fields, care being taken that 
the bite is not too short, till snow covers the ground; and 
the spring growth may be availed of for the same pur¬ 
pose, to a longer or shorter period, according to the ne¬ 
cessities of the farmer, or the wants of his stock. If, 
while the stock is feeding on rye, too lax a state of the 
bowels occurs, as is sometimes the case, owing to the 
succulence of the rye, the animals should be fed with 
some dry hay, and a little salt as a condiment, which will 
check the tendency to purge. 
But under all circumstances, the most economical ap¬ 
propriation of the winter’s stock of fodder, becomes an im- 
important desideratum. The great aim should be the main- 
tainence of the stock in proper condition with the least ex¬ 
pense. The materials at the disposal of farmers for this 
purpose, consist usually of hay, straw of various grains, 
fodder of Indian corn, different vegetables in greater or 
less quantities, with occasionally some meal or “ mill 
stuffs.” A general saving of all rough fodder may be 
made by cutting with a machine. This saving results 
in various ways, some of which we will specify. 1. Coarse 
fodder, such as rank hay, straw, or corn-stalks, are thus 
wrought into a more convenieut form for mastication, by 
which animals are often induced to eat that which would 
otherwise be rejected, or only partially consumed. This 
is particularly the. case with clover hay, more or less of 
which is almost always wasted if fed in the long state, 
but which when passed through a cutter, if it has been 
properly cured, is readily eaten perfectly clean. The 
same remark.is applicable, but in a less degree, to straw 
and corn fodder. 2. By cutting, fodder of inferior qua¬ 
lity may be easily mixed in any desired proportions with 
that which is better or more palatable, and the poorer 
kind thus be made to conduce to the animal’s support. 
Cutting also affords a convenient mode of mixing meal, 
shorts, or bran, with fodder, by which may be gained 
the double advantage of inducing stock to eat less pa¬ 
latable articles, and of so diflusing the meal that all its 
nutriment is appropriated by the animal. 3. Besides the 
advantages above mentioned, another and not less im¬ 
portant benefit is known to be derived by laboring ani¬ 
mals in the additional time it affords them for rest—the 
cutting performing in a great degree the work of chew¬ 
ing and preparation for digestion. This benefit is re¬ 
garded as so important by those accustomed to feed¬ 
ing work horses and oxen on cut food, that nothing 
would induce them to discontinue the practice. 
There are cases however, in which the advantages of 
cutting may not repay the expenses. If the food to be 
used is wholly hay of very fine quality, and the stock 
consuming it is not required to labor, it might be so fed 
that no waste would accrue, or nothing be gained by 
cutting. But wherever a mixture of fodder would be 
expedient, or meal, &c., is to be used, or working ani¬ 
mals are to be provided for, the advantages of cutting 
will be found to repay the expenses ten fold. 
In times past, the writer has had some experience in 
feeding stock, and has practiced various modes with a 
view to economizing food and cost. During seasons of 
scarcity of hay, a course like the following was adopted 
with advantage. Good hay and straw, (oat and barley 
straw are preferable, but wheat and rye straw were 
often used,) were cut together in equal parts. Chaff of 
wheat or oats was sometimes used instead of straw. This 
fodder was mixed with corn meal, at the rate of two 
quarts of meal to the hundred of fodder. First a layer of 
six or seven inches of the straw and hay was thrown 
into a large box, spread over the bottom, and moistened 
with hot water—then the meal was scattered over it, and 
afterwards well mixed with forks. Other layers were 
prepared in the same way, until enough was ready for 
twenty head of cattle for twenty-four hours. It was made 
the object to give each grown animal, (cow or ox,) 
twenty-five pounds of the cut straw and hay every 
twenty-four hours—that is, each was allowed twelve and 
a half pounds of hay, the same quantity of straw, and a 
pint of meal per day. Younger and smaller stock was 
fed in proportion. Cows giving milk, and oxen when 
working, had the meal increased—giving in such instan¬ 
ces, two to three quarts per day. Sometimes rye meal, 
shorts, and occasionally oil-cake were used, either by 
themselves or in connection with the corn-meal; endea¬ 
voring to use about the relative quantities of each which 
would afford the same amount of nutriment; but as we 
had no definite standard, we gave as nearly as practica¬ 
ble equal weights. 
Not the least waste attended this course of feeding, and 
we found stock to do well on it. Though not fat, they 
were in good trim, and their coats got into fine order 
early in spring, so that they went to grass in excellent 
condition. 
In feeding potatoes or other vegetables to store stock, 
where the quantity does not exceed half a bushel per day 
to each grown cow or ox, we have usually given them 
at one feed in the morning, after the first foddering of 
hay. 
Col. Jaques, of Massachusetts, who is known as an 
economical feeder of stock, adopts the following plan, 
which we copied sometime since from notes furnished 
by him: 
“ For 30 cows, cut with a machine 30 bushels for one 
feed; one-third common or English hay, one third salt 
hay, and one-third rye or barley straw; add 30 quarts of 
wheat-bran or shorts, and ten quarts of oat and corn meal 
moistened with water. One bushel of this mixture is 
given to each cow in the morning, and the same quantity 
at noon and in the evening. In addition to this, a peck 
I of mangel wurtzel is given to each cow per day. This 
mode of feeding has been found to produce nearly as 
much milk as the best grass feed in summer.” 
Stock must not be too much stinted in their food in 
| the fore part of winter, nor should an attempt be made 
to keep them at once on the poorer kinds of fodder. In 
the coldest weather of January and February their appe¬ 
tites will be sharpest, and then the poor fodder will be 
eaten to best advantage. We said their food should 
not be stinted in the beginning; the reason is, that if 
jthey are brought low in flesh in the first of the win¬ 
ter, they cannot stand the inclemency of the weather so 
well, and they fail rapidly towards spring. Hence if 
any pinching must be done, it had better be deferred 
to the last end of the season of feeding, as relief may 
then be shortly expected from the growth of grass. 
The greatest regularity should be observed in feeding—al¬ 
ways giving the food as near as practicable at certain fixed 
times. But no food should at any time be given to be left— 
all should be eaten to the last straw which is eatable. Still, 
substances which are really innutricious—such as the 
large, sour butts of corn-stalks and the woody stems of 
large weeds and coarse herbage—should not be given to 
stock with the expectation that they will be eaten and 
benefit be derived from them. 
The importance of shelter to stock must not be over¬ 
looked—it having been fully demonstrated that warmth 
is equivalent to food. The heat of the animal system is 
kept up in the same manner as flame is supported—that 
is, by an union of carbon and oxygen. The animal de¬ 
rives its carbon from the food, which, having undergone 
digestion, is taken up by the blood and thence conveyed 
to the lungs, where by the act of respiration, it is uniled 
with a portion of the oxygen of the atmosphere, and heat 
is produced. Exposure to a low temperature dissipates 
the animal heat, just as heat is driven off from any other 
body similarly situated. It is obvious that the natural 
temperature of the body must be sustained or the animal 
will perish. As carbon is the only material by which 
this heat can be furnished, that substance must either be 
supplied to the blood from the fat and muscle already 
