OLD WORLD CATTLE FEEDING

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 67

OLD WORLD CATTLE FEEDING

A. suggestion as to the difference; in the cost of fattening stock in the United Kingdom as compared with Australia, with its lucerne and rape capabilities, is obtained in the following report by Mr Andrew Boyd, veterinary surgeon to the Melrose Agricultural Society, Scotland: ‘ That the feeding of cattle or of any animal is a science no one can gainsay, but feeding by the rule of thumb, or, in other words, run in the old rut, is a great mistake, because a great deal of money spent on feeding stuffs is thrown away. What I want to draw the attention of feeders to is, that there is a great waste of feeding stuffs, and I venture to say, what takes to feed ten cattle might easily feed fifteen. This will be considered by some to be a wild opinion; but when we consider the physiology of digestion, we find that the digestive organs can only perfectly digest and make fit for absorption and assimilation a certain quantity of food, and beyond that, whait is eaten is only imperfectly digested and unfit for assimilation by the tissues.

It must be borne in mind that cattle have faui stomachs—the first a. big- bag, that needs a deal of coarse or hard fodder to keep it in good working order, but if little of this fodder be- given, chewing of the cud is suspended, the major part passing through the alimentary canal only partially masticated and partly digested. “I have asked a good many big feeders their plan of feeding, and amongst those I will name two, namely, Mr John Fairbairn, of Fens, and Mr John Bruce, of Langlee. These gentlemen feed rationally. They begin by degrees, gradually increasing the amount of feed, and so gradually accustoming the digestive organs to their work. These two gentlemen have a good supply .of hay. I feel certain that if feeders would make themselves acquainted with the physiology of digestion they would very soon alter their mode ot feeding.

“It may be reasonably asked: What mode of feeding would I recommend? Well, the Scots way of answering a question is by asking another. Let me ask : Is there much feeding in turnips? Is there much in hay, or is hay-fed beef not of the highest quality ? My opinion of feeding is this: —Give good feeding stuffs in a concentrated form, as crushed linseed, with a proportion of crushed cotton seed. a> moderate quantity of turnips and plenty of hay, and salt as necessary.