ON THE WEST HIGHLAND BREED OF CATTLE. 149 



hundreds of acres. The calves are allowed to run with their 

 dams until the month of October, when a general weaning takes 

 place, the average age being from five to six months, and a very 

 difficult and hazardous undertaking the weaning process is, for the 

 means of offence and defence with which the Highland cow is 

 furnished are not to be lightly considered. After weaning, and 

 indeed throughout winter, the calves have the use of an open 

 shed, wherein they are supplied with a bit of meadow hay at 

 night. The two and three-year olds are also similarly treated ; 

 having, in addition, a few turnips thrown upon the pastures. 

 The heifers selected for breeding are kept from the bull until 

 three years old, when they attain a much larger size than if put 

 to breeding earlier. Bullocks are fed off at four years, either 

 upon the pastures in summer, or upon hay and cake in winter, 

 with turnips supplied ad libitum in the fields. At this age, 

 they attain a weight of from 14 to 15 stones per quarter, 

 the draft heifers making 10 to 12. Of late the bullocks 

 have been fed off at three years old, thus saving a year's keep — 

 a very important consideration in those days of dear provender 

 — and the practice has been found to answer admirably. The 

 colours which the owners admire most are tlie dun, the brindled, 

 and the red, but since the breeding-in-and-in system has not 

 been sufficiently checked, there is a decided tendency to drift 

 back to the original black colour ; this, the owners believe, is a 

 significant fact that deterioration is taking place. 



The Mainland and Island Cattle contrasted. — The cattle 

 produced on the mainland of Scotland are generally much 

 superior in bone, frame, and general substance to those reared 

 upon the islands, l3ut the latter produce hair and horn, such as 

 those on the inland pastures can never compete with. Indeed, 

 it is a fact worthy of consideration, that the nearer an approach 

 is made to domestication, the heavier is the weight of flesh, 

 although, it must be admitted, that the quality is to some 

 extent sacrificed. It may fairly be asked. How is this ? 

 Simply because nature has supplied herbs in the greatest 

 profusion and variety where the least artificial influences have 

 been brought to bear on the soil. It is well known that the 

 sweetest mutton is produced on the unbroken sheep pastures, 

 and the mountain-deer of Scotland have a much more " gamy " 

 flavour than the venison produced in the deer parks of England. 

 The best milk and butter are also obtained from cattle ffrazin<:r 

 on old laid pastures, so that from these examples a truism is 

 apparent — viz.. that domestication and high feeding gain weight 

 at the expense of quality. Amongst those who appear to have 

 taken the lead in the improvement of this noble breed may be 

 mentioned jNIr j\I'I)onald, Monachyle, whose bulls were keenly 

 run after ; My ]M'Laren, Callander ; Sir Neil Menzies of 



