A Moueable Food Rack.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 226, 29 October 1887, Page 2

A Moueable Food Rack.

'Where live stock five, fed hi the field it is important, in order to avoid waste, that the food should be placed in suitable feeding *acks, and not merely scattered loose upon the ground. The rack herb illustrated 13

inado by using the wheels and axles of a ivagg 011 tha-fc is past work. From nn American contemporary we take the following particulars as to the making ot this Jeeding-rack ,• — The rack may be of any convenient length — even thirty feet. When of this length, «auple the axles twenty feet, The Tack can project three to four feet beyond the front a-xle and six ov seven leet beyond •the rear. Two scantling of the length of iherack, or else shoiter pieces spliced, are '(Dhcse may be put on top of the bolsters, awcl when the rack i-j brought into tfc"hc ieed'let, the wheels are driven into ruts in the,grov<nd, toUving the rack down to "within reach of the animals. Or the scantlings may be below the axles, an iron rod jrassingithrough the axles and scantling-, and perhaps Ahrouffh a, 'block between them, and secured .by a nut. This plan is the better •when the land is smooth and even, as it is not necessary'to lower the wheels for the .animate to get the 'feed ; bat when the land Is uneven or stumpy, the rack i^ bei?l m ule •altogether above tine ay heels, that it may pass ov^r obstructions. The bottom of it .should bo bf bounds, closely titled ; and the sides -should be wade of a boaul six incho= Avide,.ut tii 3 bottom, with slats above. It is best to -mafcc it of a height that will pci"mit >fche -animals to eat from the top— -as tthey nvould fuma manger— not fiom the JC rack ; v'thon there is much less wa<<tt>. But ; it may ) c necessary to have small -animals eatfrcm the side, hence aic used in the sides : and these make the rack 'lighter than it would be -with solid- siU-rs. The height of the rack should be Fuifod to the anhr.aK that w ill -eat mosb f?r^r ic. Thus,, if t-hecfi only ate to 'be fed »fro-n it. it> will bo made lov. it than when <it is deponed for cattle. It should be "borne in mind by tho-e ha\ mc,' t>oth sheep cud cattle to feed, lunvevoi. •that the rack can he lowered by sinLin<_r the 'wheels \r\ the ground, the food boiug •brought/ it hi n reach of animo,ls 'byu^ing a fake bottom. While rlhe rack i&> designed for t »tovcr, giain inu> be fed in it, £s it has a tis;ht bottom and a side for six inches up. Or tor slice]) .and horses the srain trough may be fixed -on the outsitt.?, near the bottom ; the board "forming -pait of the of the rack, also forming one side of the grain trough. The man who make* one of these racks •will soont vender how he ever got along -without 'it. While it is convenient when stover of. any kind is to be fed, it is mo^t labour afcu 'lime saving when the animals are to be given green fodder, as the pastures burn up or y,et shoit. The corn, or whatever- uke fodder may be, is cut and ■thrown intv? the rack, which is then driven to t-he na&rlock whete the cattle arc to be fed. 'The labour of lifting the stover ft om .a waggon manger* or lacks, which also icauaes wefsw, is a\oided.