Farmer.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2098, 29 July 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Farmer.

Vara Water lor Cattle.

One of the latest subjects brought under the notice of ttie fanners of Hrcat Britain is that ot warming the water given to the cattle in order to increase the d-oa nt milk. We are told that exper the subject have been earned out my I rofessor Shelton, at the Kansas Agricultural College, with goal results. Common well water'raised to deg. was first given.and when the'cattle got used to t the temperature of the water was raised to MO deg. and in s une eases to 100 deg. At lint considerable difficulty was found in getting the cattle to drink the warm water, and it ■ us necessary to delay watering until they were very thirsty When, however, they had become accustomed to the unusual heat of the water, they seemed to become exceedingly fond of it, and to drink it greedily. The result of the warming, we are told, was to increase the flow of milk by 8 per cent., which must be regarded with astonishment. It was found that a bushel of coals jicr day. burned in a slow combustion stove, " would warm sufficient water fur twentv-five c ws.

We do not think that, as a system, it would tie found economic to warm the water for stock. In times of exceptional severity, it would be both humane and profitable to see that the chill is oil water given to stock. The subject is by no means new. for it is now many years since the Herman chemists, Henneberg, Voit, and Wolff, published the results of elaborate experiments on thejvannth of the teui|)er.»tuie of stables and cow byres,and tiie use of warm food and drink. These showed that the production of heat makes great demands on the food supply of an animal, and that various circumstances mav influence the amount of heat produced and thus effect an economy, or a waste of fodder. Take the temperature of the stable. It is evident that the wanner the air of a stable is kept tiie less heat the animals wHI lose by radiation (to pii-duce winch ordinarily takes 28 per cent, of the carffiihydrates of the food), ami cons.neatly tiie greater will be the saving fonder affected. If this were the ini I v circumstance to lie considered, the greatest economy would result from keeping the surroundings <’f the animal at the B.iuie temperature as its body for then no heM' would bo lost by radiation. A high temperature, however, tends to increase the perspiration, which also demands consideiable animal heat for its evaporation, so that the saving effected by the diminishes! radiation consequent on a high temperature may l>e more than counterbalanced by tiie greater amount of perspiration cvajairated. It was thus evident that the most favorable balance between the two fee-tors, and consequently the most economical production, may take place at a medium temperature, and this conclusion is one which accords with the general experience of farmers. The experiments showed to them was the least expenditure of material by the body at this temperature. Then there is the question of profit. Warming the stable in winter involves a certain amount of expense, leaving it cold also involves a certain amount of expenses viz., the cost of tho excess of food required to maintain the animal heat. On the whole, however, except for very choice animals, it may be said that it is most profitable to supply no warmth lieyond the shelter of the b biding. <tf course, it is possible that in some cases warmth could be supplied so cheaply ■s to make it cheaper to heat the stables or cow byres in winter. But such cases are rare.

Finally, the question of cooked food may be also considered in connection with this subject. A portion of the advantage frequently claimed from cooking and stewing fodder and undoubtedly arises from the fact that the fodder is eaten while still warm, and that thus a certain amount of the substance of the animal, which would otherwise be burned in wanning the food, is rendered available for other pursues. This fact, in connection with the increased palatibility of the fodder and the consequently greater consumption of it. probably explains the favorable results frequently obtained by means of 'his practice, and at the same time renders it evident that its profitableness must depend on circumstances. Under some conditions the gain thus affected might |>av the Expense, while under other conditions it might be mure economical to let the cattle warm their own food.

These were the conclusions arrived at by the < lerman scientists in 1871, and they ■re gi v.-ii in that capita! work, Armsby's “Cattle Fccdiuj." published in America few years a u.. It is not at all clear where the eight per cent, more milk could have come from simply by giving hot water to cattle, but it is (xissible that the milk miL'ht have been slightly richer, and that less fu «l would lie consumed. These ■re the result-, that physiology would lead ns to e\|H,<;t, but whether the return would be suthcciit to pay for the extra labor and cost is quite a matter to be decided by the local surroundings of each ewe.

Name Yonr Farm —ln discussing ways and ne an- f r in iie-.ng a greater love for them boil, oil fl.e (■an of farmers’ children. the farm has l,cen nvcrlo kcd. There is till- imn hj in a name, that it is something tangible and or aif.-clions arc apt to lake a strong hold upon it. famous stulents of wold- iav- wiitten warmly of lh> power there is in rr.ui a. It is a significant fact lha' »'• e m.vs-» n-ver 'grow enthusiastic about an ab-traet idea until it is personified and (.■ 'ramification includes a name. There i, ano'h r r —>nf -r naming tic farm, more materal and y t not -abstainial and important. itmak'slhc farm better known. It is easier to r.-fer to it. It gives the farm honor. Many men find that the names of their farms have gone before their own names, and the farm with a name is always considered more important, somewhat better than the farm without a name. But it is not enotudi to name the farm ■imply. The name must lie suggestive and appropriate and withal pleasing to the ear. Nor should the name It- high sounding, or one taken from old classics, or from tnrf or play. Let it be suggestive of the heat or moat pleasant feature of the home. let the grove that gives so much pleasure, or the springs or streams near by. or the hill that affords such fine views, or the valley along which the land tics and in which the home nestles, be commemorated in the name. Then the name will sorely be appropriate and suggestive ; and it will bring to mind, quick as tbought, that about the home which is is best and most pleasant, around which all ths other features are clustered.