Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1870 — Short Fodder—Wintering Stock. [ARTICLE]

Short Fodder—Wintering Stock.

Many formers who have hitherto had an abundant supply of winter fodder, will this season be compelled to resort to unusual means to carry their stock through. Some will perhaps seek relief by rsduc ing the stock to the amount of their feed; but nothing but extreme necessity should induce any one to resort to this course: for at such times, small prices are realized from forced sales; when the pinch is over, a reaction seta in, and they can only bo replaced at much higher rates. Neither is it good policy to attempt to carry stock through on short allowanoe; for scanty feed impairs the constitution, and destroys the vitality, and the loss thus incurred if repaired at all, will be done at a much greater expense than it would have required to have furnished the proper amout of food at the first Even a small outlay for fodder, in these hard times, will be regarded by those who usually raise their own as a burdensome and most aggravating expenditure; but we feel confident that those who have not more stock on hand than they can keep in seasons of average yield, will find it for their interest to buy the extra fodder necessary. No doubt running into debt should be avoided, as a general rule, but regarding as profitable in itself and likely to be more so, and that it is the main element of success in other branches of agriculture, we think the farmer who is short, will be warranted even m incurring the burden of debt if necessary to carry his stock through, rather than to sell, or try to keep it on short allowance. A more economical use of the fodder usually grown will help out the season and lessen the amout of extra expenditure, and here economy does not mean parsimony. Peed freely; give as much as the animal needs, but see to it that what is given is eaten, so that none may go to waste. Again a little extra care in preparation will add materially to the value of a given amount of food. Hay cut, moistened and mixed with bran or meal, will go much further than the same .amount fed in the usual way. Steaming food is perhaps the most economical way to prepare it, and we think that when an extra supply of food has to be bought, that if enough is saved out to purchase' the necessary steaming apparatus, the stock will not only be easily wintered on the balance, but the farmers who use it will thereby be led to adopt It as a system and derive advantage from an increased value of the stock, and an annual saving in the amount of material consumed.— Western Farmer.