188 ON THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



of tlie larger farmers, who may be described as the more exten- 

 sive beef producers. In a word, it may be stated bere that tbe 

 system of feeding most generally followed among tbe large body 

 of farmers is to tie up tbe cattle about tbe end of September, 

 feed them on soft turnips for tbree weeks or a month, or perhaps 

 a little more, then with swedes, along with straw or hay, and for 

 two months or so before selling off, from 4 to 8 lbs. per day of 

 cake, or cake and a mixture of grain. 



Some idea may be had of the expensive system of feeding 

 pursued by a few of the larger farmers, when it is mentioned that 

 they do not consider themselves fairly remunerated for their 

 outlay and trouble in the preparing of their cattle for the market, 

 unless the balance between the buying and selling prices is equal 

 to L.2 a head for every month the animals have been on the 

 farm. Under the ordinary system of cattle-feeding prevailing 

 throughout the north of Scotland generally, about L.l or L.l, 5s. 

 a month is considered fair remuneration. 



Mr Mackenzie, Dalmore, is One of the most extensive feeders 

 of cattle in the north of Scotland. He feeds off every year from 

 200 to 300 cattle according to his supply of fodder, and usually 

 commands the top prices in the markets. He commences to buy 

 in for the Christmas markets in the spring months, and selects 

 the best two-year-olds (generally crosses) that can be had in the 

 country in the north exclusively. They are fed on grass fields 

 from the first week of May till the middle of August, when about 

 fifty (or about one-half of the lot) of the better animals are 

 housed for preparation for the London Christmas market. For 

 about six weeks they are fed on an equal mixture of cut hay and 

 tares, along with 4 lbs. per day of a feeding mixture with draff 

 and dray from the Dalmore distillery, which adjoins the farm 

 steading. About the end of Sej)tember the diet is changed by 

 the introduction of a small quantity of white globe turnips and 

 the increasing of the dose of the feeding mixture (to which we 

 shall afterwards refer) from 4 to 6 lbs. per day. The globes are 

 continued for a week or ten days, and then displaced by yellows, 

 for which in about three weeks or a month, or about the end of 

 October, swedes are substituted. From this onwards each 

 animal gets 100 lbs. of swedes per day, along with 6 lbs. of the 

 feeding mixture (which, if necessary, is increased to 9 lbs.) ; 

 about 12 lbs. of hay, and about a pailful and a half of draff. 

 The first diet is given between five and six o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, and consists of 2 lbs. of the feeding mixture and half a pail 

 of draff to each beast. Shortly after, about 50 lbs. of swedes are 

 allowed, and again at eleven o'clock other 2 lbs. of the feeding 

 mixture, and a half pailful of draff and 12 lbs. of hay are given 

 to each animal, and followed at three o'clock by about 50 lbs. of 

 swedes, and in the evening by another allowance of the feeding 



