284 EXPEPJMfiXT FOK ASCERTAINING WEIGHT OF STOCK 



At the first of August, having everything in readiness but 

 the weighing machine, I resolved to make a beginning. The 

 twenty cattle were taken indoors, tied up, and carefully measured. 

 By the aid of Ewart's cattle gauge an estimate was formed of 

 their carcass weight, and the sixteen pure polls were arranged 

 in four lots of four each as fairly as possible. The best animal 

 in each lot was marked No. 1, the next No. 2, a cross-bred poll 

 was made No. 3, the third best pure poll No. 4, and the worst 

 No. 0. By this arrangement the best animals in each lot 

 had 5 lbs. each of oilseeds or cakes without maize, and could 

 be compared with one another ; the cross-bred animals had 

 each nearly an equal quantity of oily foods and maize ; and 

 the worst animal in each lot had more maize than oily foods. 

 In this way I hoped to bring out more striking and trustworthy 

 results. To induce the bullocks to enter their byre readily, a 

 supply of tares and beans w^as placed in their stalls early in the 

 evening, and after they had consumed the green food each had 

 put before him his allowance of experimental food. Half an 

 hour was allowed for making an acquaintance w^ith this, after 

 which they were turned out for the night. The first evening 

 very few^ of them did more than smell at their food. Next day 

 several took a little, and in the course of a week almost all ate 

 about half of their allowance. Some, however, would not taste 

 it of their own accord, and handfuls of it had to be put into 

 their mouths before they would begin to eat of it. By ths end 

 of a fortnight all were taking their food fairly w^ell, and con- 

 tinued to do so throughout the remainder of the experiment. 

 Some animals occasionally left part of their food. 



At the end of a fortnight I measured again each one's length 

 and girth, and estimated his carcass weight. Errors in the first 

 measurements were corrected, and by continuing the process 

 every fortnight the length, girth, and estimated weight of each 

 bullock came to be known very exactly. 



By the end of August the weighing machine arrived, and no 

 time was lost in putting it into operation. The platform is 

 similar to that of an ordinary cart- weighing machine, with three 

 holes at either side, into which movable guards can be placed. 

 The animal to be weighed is placed upon the platform, and 

 kept in position by a small chain connecting the side guards 

 before and behind. A graduated steelyard projects at one end 

 at the level of the ground, and the weight is found by sliding 

 weights. 



The first weighing w^as a tedious and almost hopeless pro- 

 cess. None of the bullocks had ever been haltered before. 

 Some pulled and tugged, rushing from side to side, and were got 

 upon the platform with great difficulty ; but w^orse than the 

 obstreperous were the quiet ones, that came so far without 



