BREED OF CATTLE. 319 



to eat turnips, cake, and hay, and weaned from milk "before being 

 turned out to grass, all the better, but this means an excess of 

 eows which might not pay." 



Before closing this subject we may briefly allude to the 

 systems adopted by the Earl of Airlie and Mr M'Combie. 



The calves on the farm of Cortachy, occupied by Lord Airlie, 

 are mostly hand-fed, only a few being allowed to run with 

 their dams. The best plan seems to be to keep the calves in 

 thriving order, as liberal feeding during calf-hood does not impair 

 breeding stock in after years. A good sappy condition should, 

 if possible, be maintained, and there is nothing more conducive 

 to this than allowing the dams to suckle their young for five or 

 six months. After weanino-, the females intended for breeding^ 

 purposes are substantially fed, but by no means pampered, all 

 forcing being judiciously avoided. 



The breeding cows at Tillyfour — numbering 80 more or less — 

 are kept as low as possible in the winter. Calves are usually 

 dropped during the spring, and have access to their dams until 

 the end of October, getting, in addition to the milk, from 1 to 2 

 lbs. of oilcake. Y/hen the weaning has been accomplished they 

 have straw and sliced turnips with Ih to 2 lbs. of oilcake daily. 

 The after-treatment of the females is somewhat difficult, avoiding 

 an excess of fat on the one hand, and ensuring progressive 

 development on the other. The heifers are rarely put to breeding 

 until two years old, as they are apt to become stunted if used 

 before. 



Milkviuj Properties of tJie Breed. 



During the march of improvement which has been going on 

 steadily for many years, and particularly in the last decade, we 

 believe that we are right in stating that milking properties have 

 not, as a rule, been catered for in the breed of polled cattle. 

 Early maturing and heavy beef-making characteristics have 

 mainly been sought after by the improvers, inasmuch as these 

 seem to be the points in which the type excels, and can therefore 

 be brought up to the highest standard of perfection. A few 

 breeders, liowever, while not losing sight of the main properties 

 possessed by the polls, have paid a little attention to the milking 

 capacities as well ; we therefore find some herds which are very 

 protitabh; dairy cattle. The race, viewed as a whole, may be set 

 down as fair milkers ; of course not nearly equal to the Ayrshire, 

 or cattle of the Channel Islands, ])ut far superior to many otlier 

 breeds. The quantity given is larger than that of tlie AVest 

 Highlander, but the (luality falls siiort, although it is vastly 

 superior to that of the shorthorn, which is sometimes given in 

 large quantitii'S and very thin. As iu other Imbeds, there are 

 good, bad, and inditl'erent milking families, according to the pains, 



