Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1875 — Fatten Live Stock Gradually. [ARTICLE]

Fatten Live Stock Gradually.

It is always better in every respect to keep domestic animals growing and fattening gradually than to allow them to run in the fields for several months, having only a short supply of grass, clover and a bite of meal, ana then commence feeding them all they will eat and more than their stomachs can digest. Some farmers differ as to the propriety of feeding meal at all to pastured cattle, some insisting that it only destroys their appetite for the grass, and that if fed on the latter alone they will improve in condition more rapidly and steadily than in any other way. This is certainly not true with all animals, as for example with the case just mentioned; but there are others which have a natural propensity to flesh that seem to improve best on rich pasturage alone, doubtless partly in consequence of the long-continued and regular supply of good food which they thus receive as contrasted with sudden and irregular grain feedings. A great many farmers entertain the opinion that animals may be fattened in a few weeks and fitted for market -byi_heavy feeding, or, as it is termed, “ pushing.” Many farmers do not think of beginning to fatten their hogs or cattle for early winter market until autumn has actually commenced. Their food is then suddenly changed, and they are dosed with large quantities of grain or meal. This sudden change often deranges the system, and it is frequently some time before they recover from it. The attempt to fatten a poor animal in six weeks reminds one of the puff advertisements to teach “ French in six lessons.” From observation and inquiry we find that the most successful managers adopt a very different course—feed moderately, with great regularity, and for a long-continued period. Regularity they find of the utmost importance, and they particularly avoid the course recommended by a correspondent a year or two since to give “a feeding of meal now and then.” The most successful pork-raiser that we have met with commence the fattening of swine intended for winter market early in the preceding spring. We might almost say he commences the preceding autumn, for he keeps hi 3 young swine in a rapidly growing condition all through winter. lie always begins moderately,' and increases the amount gradually and with great uniformity, taking care never to place before the animal more than it will freely eat. With this treatment, and attending strictly to cleanliness, and the comfort of the animal at the same time, his spring pigs at ten months usually exceed 300 pounds, and sometimes have gone as kigh as 450 pounds, and wintered pigs run as high as 500 to 600. The corn, which is ground and scalded before feeding, nets him one dollar per bushel when pork sells at five cents per pound. Some of the most successful producers of fat live stock believe that feeding large quantities of grain or meal at one time is attended with more waste than profit. This opinion, says the Country Gentleman, has been corroborated by the careful experiments of a number of farm era, and, among others, an accurate and enterprising neighbor, who weighs all his animals weekly, informs us that a fine’ steer when fed regularly each day with four quarts of barley meal gained eighteen pounds per week. Being urged to.” push” this aiiimal, he increased. his feed to eight quarts daily, with a diminution in his growth. The feed was then increased to twelve quarts, when he scarcely gained at all. Another, and an extensive cattle faitener, informed us that he and a neighbor commenced fattening each a fine steer at the same time, the neighbor’s being the Heavier at the start Our informant fed four quarts of meal daily; his neighbor fed twelve quarts. When they were slaughtered the latter was the inferior animal of the two in weight. We have in mind an old cow, naturally

raw-boned, which was fed by the owner with the view of convertiqg her iojp. beef, commencing about the middle of autumn, or as soon as the com was ripe, with the hope of turning her off to the butcher about the first of winter. She was stuffed with all she could eat, and by the end of the year had scarcely gained in weight. The owner concluded that she aid not take on flesh naturally, and there was no use in trying to fatten her, and she passed into other hands, where she received different treatment. Before winter was over a regular system of feeding with barley meal was commenced, first with, only a pint each night and morning, which was afterward gradually increased to a quart. In a few weeks the improved appearance of the animal was quite visible; she was placed in good pasture, and by the middle of summer her feed had been gradually increased to two quarts each night and morning. By tlie first of autumn she had become fat, sleek and beautiful, and was sold for a generous price to the butcher. The point that we desire to urge on the rural readers of the Herald at the present time is a caution against the common error of attempting to fatten suddenly by overdosing with grain and meal as a sort ol compensation lor the previous starvation and raw-boned system of treatment. Instead of beginning to fatten jnst.at the last stages of an animal’s life the work should be commenced as soon as it is born, at least so far as preserving a good growing, healthy condition right onward, without any interruption, through winter and summer. Farmers who practice on this plan make tlie largest profits and can dispose of their herds at any time- for high prices. Their less successful neighbors term them “always lucky,” hut do not seem to be aware of the truth of the old saying that “ Diligence is the mother of good luck.” At this season of the year a great many farmers put an old cow, heifer or steer in a field alone to be fattened. The better way is to allow such an animal to run with the cows during the day and at night put him in a shed or stable well ventilated' and give him or her a comfortable bed of straw’ and a feeding of meal. — N. Y. Herald.