202 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



growth ; and it is better that she should go to a small rather 

 than a large bull. The draught on her system for the nour- 

 ishment of the foBtus will be less severe than if she is fecun- 

 dated by a large, over-grown bull. 



Besides stimulating the mammary glands to great activity, 

 and enlarging their capacity at this age, there is the additional 

 advantage that the animal is more easily handled, usually 

 more docile; she may be better managed; and she arrives at 

 her maturity of production (which is not till after the third 

 calf) a year earlier, so that a year is gained in her profit. 



To offset these great and manifest advantages, there is the 

 liability to some check in her growth and size, owing to the 

 strain upon her system before it has reached its full develop- 

 ipent. This may be guarded against and counteracted by 

 liberal and judicious feeding ; and with this there will be no 

 appreciable difference in size and thrift between such an 

 animal and one brought in at three years old, when they 

 reach the age of four or five. 



As to the age of the bull when put to service, our theory 

 and practice are widely different ; for, while most intelligent 

 farmers are ready to admit that one year is too young, — 

 that the system is not mature, that the animal is not devel- 

 oped, and ought not to be used, — they do, in fact, use year- 

 ling bulls far more commonly than older ones. If well-fed 

 and thrifty, we should not object to a limited use of a bull 

 at fifteen months, and from eighteen months and onward 

 more freely, in getting dairy stock and stock for be.ef. For 

 getting working cattle, or animals for labor, the bull should 

 be at least two jesLVS or two years and a half old. The bull 

 is better to be worked ; and, if it were our custom to use all 

 our bulls more or less in the yoke, they would undoubtedly 

 be all the better for it. 



As to the methods to be adopted to influence the sex of 

 the calf, a vast number of experiments have been tried, but 

 they have usually ended in disappointment ; and no law has 

 been discovered which governs the sex. But it has been 

 observed that the most vigorous parent will generally govern 

 the sex; that is, that the probabilities are, that the sex will 

 take after the stronger, more robust parent. Thus, a feeble 

 cow, or too young a one, or one too old (past her prime), 

 fecundated by a vigorous bull, will most generally bring ? 



