Farm and Garden

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 356, 5 March 1903, Page 7

Farm and Garden

OBIGINAL ARTICLES GROUND STOCK .FEE?)., gHE value of grinding food for stock "has two Bides for and against the practice, like many other method* ia farm management. Many enthusiastic and good stockmen state that it does not pay to grind .feed, especially for fattening animals j others state that ' tbey would not attempt to raise fane animals without a feed grinder. Sifting the evidence for and against, it septa*, that most up to date stock raisers agree that with certain kinds o! grain—such as wheat, rye and barley—grinding an 4 mixing with other kiodi of food is absolutely essential. Pot eximple, no one would think of feeding wheat to hogs without-first thoroughly soaking it m water or passing it through a feed mill* It may aot be essential to grind it very fine, but it should at least he crashed completely or ground fine enough so that , the hard compaot portions of the grain will not pass through the animal un- . digested. This is the correct thing for old as well as young animals. Another point upon which most farmers agrao, is that for young growing stock, especially for those animals which have not a full mouth of teeth, grinding the feed is necessary. It not; only enables tin young animals to obtain more nutrient matter out of their feed, bat they also sat greater quantities and grow much more rapidly. On unground feed of the kind mentioned a young animal would do very little good, but if wheat, barley, rye, &.;., be ground and mixed with a little corn they will thrive. Where old animals are to be fat* tened or to be maintained, grinding the feed is certainly always profitable. Many old animals have poor teeth and their power of digestion and assimilation is not as great as with younger stock, it pays in such cas?b not only to grind the seed, but is often found desirable to soak it in water. For fattening cattle, or for hogs being prepared for market and also for work horses, it may not be so very necessary to grind feed. However, a great many up to date people do grind their feed pro* vious to using it. A cattle dealer who feeds large numbers every year, and makes in ney out of the business, always passes hia evs of corn through a crasher. His machine does not grind the grain, but crushes'the cob pretty completely, and this cattle dealer believes that this is the most .desirable form.of giving corn to fattening animals. Along with this, he feeds a little bran and small quantities of oil meal, plenty of straw and hay when available The matter of oooking feed is vat a problem. Undoubtedly it is profitable in many cases—as for example for young stock, very old stock, brood animals, ana animals that are not in the very best physical condition. It ia conceded with* out question that heating water during . very cold weather is very profitable, espocially for young animah and for dairy cws. Extravagant claims are often mnde for cooking feed which, are not realised when the average farmer attempts it. That has caußed the practice to be looked upon with suspicion, but undoubtedly in many cases it does pay. Summing up the wtole question, it seems advisable io grind feed for young : , growing stock, for old animals with poor teeth, for dairy cattle, and for breeding stock. But it is not so very necessary for work hj rses, bogs being fattened, and fattening steers; nevertheless it is deemed advisable by many people to crush the corn in ail cases, believing that the full benefit of the nutrient matter is obtained in that way, and that the feed ia more fully assimilated.