BY USE OF DIFFEREXT KINDS OF FOOD. 285 



trouble, and then obstinately refused to move another step. 

 Neither progging nor whipping had any effect. Move they 

 would not, till by main strength they were shoved into position, 

 A few went down upon their knees, and could only be brought 

 to their feet by shouting in their ear. By patient perseverance 

 the weighing was accomplished, and it was repeated every 

 fortnight at the same hour of the day, 2 p.m., with less and less 

 trouble. By the end of three months I could take the weights 

 of the whole in an hour. 



During August and part of September, the cattle were out all 

 day, and in going about amongst them after heavy rain had 

 fallen, T found I could tell by the droppings what each one's 

 food had been. Here were shells of linseed still smelling of oil, 

 there the hard brown hulls and tufts of wool told of cotton 

 seed; and everywhere specks of maize were visible. It was 

 evident that much of the food was passing through the animals 

 without being digested. This might have been remedied to some 

 extent by steeping the food in water for twenty-four hours before 

 using it, but it would have added considerably to the work, 

 already heavy enough, connected with the experiment. The 

 second and subsequent supplies of food were procured finely 

 ^Tound, and the evil was thereby lessened if not entirely cured. 

 That all the oil in the linseed was not digested, even with fine 

 grinding, was manifest from the smell of the dung of lot No. 1. 

 The odour of linseed oil was quite perceptible amongst them after 

 they were tied up. 



At the beginning of September, the cattle were kept indoors 

 all ni^'ht, and when yellow turnips became fit for use a week or 

 two later, they were kept in both day and night. Want of 

 exercise and high feeding brought sore feet on some of them, 

 and this took away their appetites for a time. When a bullock 

 had sore feet at weighing time, he often proved lighter than at 

 previous weighing. It seemed, however, that the reduction in 

 weight was due more to having eaten less for a few days, than 

 to reduction in carcass weight. Still an animal suffering from 

 sore feet cannot make progress, and to ward ofl' this ailment 

 the cattle were turned out for exercise once a week, and with 

 benefit. Otherwise they were kept tied up till they left for 

 London on the 18th December. 



From the middle of September to the middle of October, they 

 had each, besides the 5 lbs. of experimental food, 1 cwt. of 

 turnips, and as much straw as they could consume. 



During the rest of the time they were fed with swedes not 

 topped. The crop of 1883 was later than usual and not so good, 

 and the weather being fine, reasons of economy prevented the 

 topping of the turnips and swedes so early as usual. In the 

 end of November it was seen that the cattle would not attain to 



