Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1875 — Farm Stock In Winter. [ARTICLE]

Farm Stock In Winter.

Already we begin to receive numerous inquiries in regard to various diseases peculiar to farm stock. The winter is scarcely half over, but diseases of cows, holies and other animals appear to be prevalent in many localities, which prompts the somewhat pertinent question, Why is this so? Cannot farm animals be kept in as good health during winter as summer? Or must we conclude that winter is naturally an unhealthy season for the brute creation, and at the same time a healthy one for man?* In summer, horn ail, mange, worms, indigestion and simijar diseases are seldom heard of.; but when cold weather comes, and animals are dependent upon man for shelter, food and water, disorders of various kinds appear to spring into existence as if by magic. We do not wish to accuse anyone of being disposed to shirk their duty in their care of farm stock, but there must be so.me radically wrong management, or else disease and losses would be less common. It must be admitted, however, that we bave among our farmers far too many apologists for cruelty to animals, who are ever ready to declare that young colts must be toughened by exposure to the cold of winter, with food of the coarsest kind. If their hair, before spring, points the wrong way, it makes no matter, as this is only one of the unmistakable signs that the toughening process is fairly under wav. Young calves are frequently treated in tlie same manner, their owners offering no better reasons for this cruelty than those given \ for toughening colts. We have been gravely told for years that farm stock do not require any shelter or food beyond what they can obtain for themselves in tlie prairie regions of the Western States and Territories. Some persons even claim that sheep are injured by protection from the cold rains and sleet which are quite common during the winter months in all the regions of the far West, claimed to be mild. But losses from diseases do frequently occur, even in the most favorable climates, and the greater portion may be directly traced to want of proper care during inclement ;weather. Losses through neglect of supplying animals with the means of warding off and resisting disease are not confined to the newer States; but in the older settled ones the cow and horse doctors are frequently in great demand during the latter part of winter and the early spring. Far too many of our farmers are content with no better accommodations for their cows, sheep and hogs than an open yard surrounded by a board fence. A straw stack, a few musty corn-stalks, with perhaps an occasional forkful of hay, are deemed sufficient for oxen, cows and sheep, and, it is very likely, if they were warmly housed these might answer; but when animals are exposed to the cold of our Northern winters such coarse food is not sufficient to preserve good health, much less prevent the loss of flesh. Comfortable quarters, in the form of stables or close sheds, should he the first things provided, but they are tar too frequently the very last. Farm stock of all kinds will thrive onTess food if provided with shelter than without, consequently the cost cannot be urged as an objection or excuse for not providing them. Now, we will remind those farmers who may say that this is all nonsense, or attempt to dodge the question in some other way, that all breeders of choice stock, as well as the most successful dairymen, who are supposed to understand their business thoroughly, almost without exception, keep their animals in warm stables during the winter months. In addition, we find that they raise more or less roots for their stock, to feed along with dry fodder, knowing from experience as well as theory that these are beneficial in preserving the animals’ health, even if for nothing else. If the supply of roots does not hold out, or is deemed insufficient to keep the animals in good flesh and health, then grain, either whole or ground, raw 1 and cooked, is added; in fact, the farmer who expects to derive a profit from his business will seek every means to promote the health and comfort of his animals. The supplying of water to farm stock during winter is a very important matter, although more generally neglected than even the providing of shelter. Many a herd is obliged to wade a half mile or go without water, which they usually do until compelled to seek it in order to quench a raging thirst. No man can expect his stock to remain healthy or thrive under such circumstances, and even when the water is near by in well or cistern it will not always answer to depend upon hired help to give it to the animals. In many years’ experience with animals we have always been very particular in regard to giving them a full and regular supply of water both winter and summer. A dozen horses or cows may feed at the same stack and yet not all b© thirsty at onetime; still many a farmer adopts an arbitrary system of watering his stock; which compels each individual animal to take water at a certain hour or not at all. The wants of each individual should be regarded in this matter, as well as in that of food or anything else. But when animals arC driven to water, or have it offered to them ß at certain hours in the day, natural desires are not always promptly met or satisfied. In summer animals should have water within reach at all times, except in the case of horses at work, aDd in winter if ft cannot be conveniently supplied in this manLer it should be offered them not less than three times, and four is our rule with horses. One day an animal may not drink but once, while on the next it will drink water several times in response to the demands of nature. If every stock-owner would study the natural wants of his animals and endeavor to supply them to the best of his tsbi'ities we would hear less of diseases and more of success and profit inflaming.— N. Y. Sun. A fresh-water clam, according to a foreign scientific journal, was last year shut up in ». perfectly dry drawer for 231 days, and then, being plunged in o water showed signs rtf’ remarkable activity. This was during a voyagefrom Australia to England. On its arrival' at Southampton, 498 days after leaving its native marsh, it was again put into the water, where it opened its valves and renewed its former habits as a mollubfe. If a man finds himself “stuck” on a one, a five, or even a ten dollar bill he stoically resolves to '‘ grin and bear It,” as it won’t “ break” him. anyhow, but a counterfeit SSOO greenback is a disagreeable thing to find in one’s '•mall changfe. A very well executed counterfeit of that denomination has lately been discovered in circulation iu Maine.