Cattle and Their Diseases: Embracing Their History and Breeds, Crossing and Breeding, and Feeding and Management; with the Diseases to Which They Are Subject, and the Remedies Best Adapted to Their CureJennings, Robert
Science
Cattle and Their Diseases: Embracing Their History and Breeds, Crossing and Breeding, and Feeding and Management; with the Diseases to Which They Are Subject, and the Remedies Best Adapted to Their Cure
Jennings, Robert
Cattle -- Diseases
In the vicinity of large towns and cities, where the object is too often
to feed for the largest quantity, without reference to quality, an
article known as distillers' swill, or still-slop, is extensively used.
This, if properly fed in limited quantities, in combination with other
and more bulky food, may be a valuable article for the dairyman; but, if
given--as it too often is--without the addition of other kinds of food,
it soon affects the health and constitution of the animals fed on it.
This swill contains a considerable quantity of water, some nitrogenous
compounds, and some inorganic matter in the shape of phosphates and
alkaline salts found in the different kinds of grain of which it is made
up, as Indian corn, wheat, barley, rye, and the like. Where this forms
the principal food of milch cows, the milk is of a very poor
quality--blue in color, and requiring the addition of coloring
substances to make it saleable. It contains, often, less than one per
cent. of butter, and seldom over one and three-tenths or one and a half
per cent.--while good, saleable milk should contain from three to five
per cent. It will not coagulate, it is said, in less than five or six
hours; while good milk will invariably coagulate in an hour or less,
under the same conditions. Its effect on the system of young children
is, therefore, very destructive, causing diseases of various kinds, and,
if continued, death.
So pernicious have been the consequences resulting from the use of this
"swill-milk," as it is called, in the largest city of this country, that
the Legislature of the State of New York, at a recent session (1861-2),
interfered in behalf of the community by making the sale of the article
a penal offence.
CULTURE OF GRASSES FOR FODDER.
As has been already stated, the grasses in summer, and hay in winter,
form the most natural and important food for milch cows; and, whatever
other crops come in as additional, these will form the basis of all
systems of feeding.
The nutritive qualities of the grasses differ widely; and their value as
feed for cows will depend, to a considerable extent, on the management
of pastures and mowing-lands. Some considerations bearing upon the
subject of the proper cultivation of these leading articles of food
are, therefore, proposed in this article.
[Illustration: PATIENTLY WAITING.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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