The Dunmore Shorthorns 



289 



lordship's choicest animals, were the most at- 

 tractive and elegant looking, particularly the 

 former; both shew great style and quality. 

 The sale is to be held in the park near the 

 mansion, where a delicious view of the Forth 

 ^nd Ochil Hills in the distance can be seen. 

 There can be no doubt that this is one of the 

 most valuable herds that has ever been 

 brought over the Border ; the fame of the 

 stock will bring many to the scene, as their 

 high pedigree will the more distinguished pro- 



fessional and amateur breeders. The com- 

 bined excellence of the cattle, the exquisite 

 beauty of the estate and charming scenery 

 around it, afford to your southern subscribers 

 one of the finest sights in Scotland ; and it is 

 to be hoped that Lord Dunmore may not 

 only be favoured with a bright day and fair 

 weather, but be encouraged for his zeal and 

 assiduity in all agricultural matters by a 

 capital average for the whole of his stock. — 

 Shorthorfi. 



CATTLE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



N New York from 11,000 to 12,000 cattle 

 and calves are slaughtered weekly, 

 Brooklyn and neighbouring villages re- 

 ceiving from our markets their main supply 

 of dressed meats. We have in this country, 

 says the New York Times, a vast range of 

 cattle-growing territory to draw from — sec- 

 tions differing greatly in climate and the quality 

 of water obtainable^ in the kinds of food in 

 use, and in the breed of stock. In Great Britain 

 the food for cattle is grass, hay, and turnips, 

 while here, in nearly all the States from which 

 the better qualities of meats are obtained, 

 corn is supplied to the cattle instead of 

 turnips ; and while the meat may not be so 

 juicy as that which has been turnip-fed, it is 

 certainly more substantial, fully as tender, 

 and more richly flavoured. Among the errors 

 which. tend to reduce the quality and price of 

 meats in our markets is the prevalent custom 

 of slaughtering cattle when from 2 to 3 years 

 old. Though, of course as tender at the ages 

 named as at any subsequent time, the flesh 

 is not, as the dealers term it, fully ripened, 

 and is not so nutritious, nor is- it as finely 

 flavoured as at 4 or 5 years old. Five 

 years is claimed the best age at which cattle 

 can be prepared for food. At that age a 

 carefully-raised Durham bullock is pro- 

 nounced the best meat that goes to .our 

 tables. There are large quantities, however, 

 of what are known as half-grades of the 



VOL. IX. 



Durham, which, when properly fed and cared 

 for, are also very fine. But the great 

 difficulty, and the one which affects all cattle 

 sent to oar markets, lies in the cruel method 

 of their transportation. They have long been 

 and still are crammed into badly-constructed 

 cars, in which they cannot, without causing 

 much loss of time, receive sufficient food or 

 water. They become restive, and before 

 reaching their destination many of them are 

 much bruised, and when dressed large 

 portions of the meat are sometimes found 

 to be totally unfit for use. In very many 

 cases the cattle thus transported by railway 

 lose from 10 to 30 per cent, of their value 

 by the journey. A movement for reform in 

 this matter is now in progress, and it is hoped 

 it may be successful. 



Among dressed meats, mutton and lamb 

 are, next to beef, of greatest consequence, 

 excepting, perhaps, pork. The quantity of 

 veal used here is comparatively small. The 

 facts touching the number of sheep sent to 

 this market are somewhat strange, and will, 

 no doubt, surprise those whose favourite 

 meat is mutton. It is declared by the dealers 

 that the supply is not governed by the demand, 

 but depends, to a suiprising extent, upon the 

 price of wool. When the price of wool is 

 low, sheep are sent on freely, but when it is 

 high they are retained by the growers, and 

 held over for the production of fleeces. To 



