some hints for farmers—management and training of animals on the farm—some evils and how to remedy them—good training vs. bad.
farmers would find it of great advantage to pay more attention to the education of their domestic animals. many things may be taught them without any appreciable trouble, which will prove not only convenient, but profitable in the saving of time and labor that may be effected. for instance, any animal on the farm may be taught to come on being called, instead of requiring to be hunted for and chased home whenever wanted. all that is necessary is to give him some dainty as a reward, each time, and the thing will be accomplished almost before you are aware of it. by giving each animal a particular name and calling him by that, you teach each individual to come to you when wanted, and if you reward only the one you call, the others will soon learn to come only when desired. this custom is observed with the sheep in greece; the shepherd has only to call any one he wants, and the animal will instantly leave its pasturage and its companions and run to the hand of the shepherd, with every token of pleasure. those which have not learned their name are called “wild,” while the others are termed “tame.”
animals cannot associate with man without learning something. many of those habits and tricks which farmers deplore in their stock, are due to the unintentional training that has been given the animals. if your stock run from you, appear to dread your presence and can never be made to stand quietly, perhaps this state of things may be accounted for if you reply candidly to the question whether they have not been accustomed to tormenting or annoyance, and so taught to be wild. no wonder there is complaint of cows being unquiet, when the habit is so general of pelting them with stones, or punching them with sticks, while driving home to milk.
how often instead of attempting to teach the animals proper behavior do we see an apparently contrary course adopted? the “american stock journal” has some sensible remarks on this subject:
“we find many persons, when turning stock into or out of pasture, instead of letting down all the bars, leaving two or three of the lower rails in their place; and then, by shouting or beating, perhaps, force the animals to leap over. this is capital 66training, the results of which are seen in the after disposition of animals to try their powers of jumping where a top rail happens to be off, and this accomplished, to set all fences at defiance, and make a descent upon the corn or grain field, as their inclination, ability or hunger may prompt them. another good lesson is to open a gate but a little way, and then, as in the case of the bars, force the cattle forward, and by threats and blows compel them to pass through it. the result of this teaching is shown in the determined spirit manifested by some cattle to make a forcible entry into the stable, yards, fields, or in fact, to almost every place where a gate or door may, by accident, be left slightly open. a western farmer says he makes it a rule whenever cattle are made to pass a fence, whether through bars or ‘slipgap,’ to leave one rail for them to pass under. this gives them a downward tendency, and lessens their inclination to jump or look upward, as they are sure to do when a lazy attendant throws down a part of the rails, and makes them vault the rest. cattle may be taught to go over any fence by the careful training they often get for this end, performed as follows: first, starve them or give them poor feed, which will make them light and restless. as soon as they go over the lowest part of the fence after better provender, make them jump back again, and put on one more rail, saying, ‘i guess that will keep them out.’ next day, (of course they will be in mischief again) repeat the process, adding another rail; in a short time they will take care of themselves, and harvest the crops without charge.”
that gentleness and good treatment will subdue even naturally unamiable dispositions in animals, is shown by the example of the bulls intended for the bull fights at havre during the marine exhibition in 1868. the bulls, selected for their ferocity on the plains of the guadalquiver, were so kindly treated by the railway servants during their journey across spain and france, that, on arriving at their destination, they had become perfectly tame and could not be induced to fight. the sight-seers were obliged to solace themselves with a regatta in lieu of their anticipated combat.
it may be interesting here to refer briefly to the proper management of bulls. there has been some discussion as to whether or not it is advisable to use bulls for purposes of draught. the advocates of the plan consider that a bull should do some labor and that exercise would be beneficial. the opponents say that the main object of keeping bulls is to breed, and that exhaustive labor would impair the vigor of the descendants. though the latter is probably the true case bulls should 67be exercised in the open air if it is desired to keep them in health and vigor. they should always have a ring inserted through the nose that they may be held in control, but they should never be tied up by anything attached to this ring. always use a rope tied around the horns; a sudden jerk is very apt to tear the ring from the nose. never fool with bulls, and beware of trusting yourself in their power. they are subject to sudden fits of fierceness, when any defenceless person is liable to be horribly destroyed.
one of the most important duties on the farm is the breaking of steers. it is best to begin with them as calves, and let the boys play with them, and drive them tied or yoked together, taking care they are not abused. when a pair of old steers are to be put together and broken to the yoke, or a pair of bulls, as not unfrequently happens, it is usually best to yoke them, and tie their tails together, in an extempore stall, in a well fenced yard, and then turn them loose in the yard, which should not be large enough for them to run in and get under much headway. if the tails are not tied together they will frequently turn the yoke, which is a very bad habit. after half a day’s association, the lesson of “gee up!” and “whoa!” may be inculcated—and when well learned, probably the next day, “haw” and “gee.” the daily lesson should be given after they have stood yoked a while. they should not be taken from the yard until they have become used to the yoke, and are no longer wild and scary, as they are apt to be at first. each day all previous lessons should be repeated. put them before an ox-sled or a pair of cart wheels at first, rather than to a stone boat, as they are apt to step on the chain, and that frightens them. all treatment should be firm but mild, and no superfluous words should be employed.
as regards training heifers, a pennsylvania farmer who has trained and milked heifers for more than fifty years, and never has any trouble about their jumping, kicking, or running, gives the following as his secret: “when i intend to raise a heifer calf for a milch cow, i always raise it by hand, and when feeding, frequently handle it by rubbing it gently over the head and neck until it becomes tame and gentle. the rubbing is begun at the first feeding with milk, and continued until i quit feeding it; i never afterward have any trouble about milking them.”
