Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1896 — On the Winter Protection of Live Stock. [ARTICLE]

On the Winter Protection of Live Stock.

Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. Newspaper Bui. letin No, 18, Jan. 4,1896. A common winter sight, is a herd of cattle exposed to severest kind of weather, browsing in corn fields or standing humped up in chilling winds. Food is fuel to the animal body. It requires more fuel to keep up steam in a boiler, when the weather is cold, than it does when it is mild. In the same Planner, other things being equal, it requires more food to sustain an animal freely exposed to the chilling blasts of winter, than it does for one given protection. In experiments conducted at the Indiana Agricultural Fxperiment Station, milch cows exposed to all sorts of weather in winter but provided with nignt shelter,, made a very unfavorable showing as compared with those given the shelter of the stable, excepting for a brief airing when the weather was suitable. The exposed cows ate the most food, lost slightly in weight and also in milk yield. The sheltered ones gained in weight, and otherwise made a better sHowiag than the exposed lots. At the Kansas Experiment Station, hogs kept ip conditions of winter exposure did not produce pork so economically as those given reasonable shelter, although the same kind of food was fed to each lot. In reporting the feeding experiments with steers at the game station, Prof Georgeson says that steers to give the tyest returns when being fed for beef should be provided with shelter. Warm, low, open sheds in the feed lot give comfortable shelter to steers. While live stock should be pro-

tected from the inclemency of the weather, it is important that-the stable should' be well ventilated and not too warm. Disease propagates easiest where the air isstagnant and impure, hence special efforts should be made to keep the stable air pure. Without doubt, tuberculosis is more prevalent among cattle closely confined in stables where the ventilation is bad, than it is where the air is good. Live stock should certainly be allowed outdoor exercise when the weather is mild and comfortable, but if it snows or rains and the air is chilling, the animalsshould be given stable protection. It is also important that the stable should not be too warm in winter. A temperature of 40 degrees is a very satisfactory one. When it is as high as 60 degrees in the barn, stock turned from this into a freezing atmosphere to water, are very apt to be severely chilled and take cold. When the stable is at 40 degrees animals are not so easily chilled' when turned from the stable. Every stable shonld have a thermometer to* guide one in keeping the temperature of the room as uniform as possible. *

C. S PLUMB,

*. » ' ■ Director. The Indianapolis Journal calls attention to the fact that in furnishing information to congressmen the departments at Washington recognize only the old congressional apportionment in this State the present district, not having been brought to their notice officially yet. Persons writing to congressmen for favors therefore should address the congressman for whom they voted at the last election, though some other member may live in their present district. The best knives v and forks at Clarke’s for $3.00 per set. Call and see them. Ferguson A Wilson will practice in ail the courts of the state. i Cheap Farm Loans. Call on Valentine Spib, Rensselaer, for the cheapest farm loans offered in Jasper county. Large or small amounts.