Tllli FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



403 



distance from a railway station, &c. The van should 

 have a let-down flap at either end, so that the animal 

 may walk in at one end and out at Iho other, on re- 

 moving the horse. If a cow heavy with call' has to be 

 " backed" out of the van, she may be much frightened, 

 and endanger the safety of herself and calf. 



In the management of a herd of shorthorns much de- 

 pends upon the cowman, who must be an early riser, 

 quick, industrious, good-tempered, and clean in hi^ per- 

 son and habits. He must also be able to control and 

 direct the young men who are under him, and check the 

 least exhibition of temper or violence towards the slock. 

 The cowman should be accustomed to keep a bulling 

 book, to check against the master or bailiff; and to 

 report accidents or doubtful symptoms to his master 

 without delay. He must be able to bleed cattle, and 

 have the necessary instruments at hand, in case of need ; 

 to keep a reserve of drinks for cows, and diarrhoea 

 powders for calves ; and watch the progress and the 

 changes of the down-calvers with the greatest vigilance. 

 I need scarcely say that the cowman should reside on the 

 premises ; that he should always be at his post ; and 

 that he should have a man within call at night, to 

 assist him in taking a calf from a cow, if requisite, 

 as favourable cases frequently need the services of two 

 men. He should also be instructed in the use of the 

 probang, in case a cow is choked ; and of the trochar, 

 in case she is blown ; as either accident requires a prompt 

 remedy, and the animal may be dead before other assist- 

 ance can be obtained. A cowman's place is confining 

 and anxious, though not laborious ; and a good man 

 deserves a master's encouragement. 



We must now speak of bulls, the treatment best 

 adapted to render them healthy and strong, and the 

 condition they should be kept in for stock purposes. 



I consider it very important the bull-calf should have 

 an ample supply of new milk twice a-day until he is 

 eight months old, and if the calf has plenty of milk he 

 will require little other food. When a month old the 

 calf may have some sweet hay to pull at, which will 

 induce him to ruminate ; and when four months old, in 

 addition to hay, a small quantity of linseed-cake and a 

 few slices of turnip may be given daily. Should the 

 supply of milk run short, the linseed-cake can be in- 

 creased, and a little oatmeal given, mixed with hay 

 chaff. The food must all be of the best quality, and the 

 milk pure, if the calf has less of it. Much watery drink 

 and indifferent food have a tendency to weaken the 

 organs of dij^estion, and to create a big belly, which is 

 very objectionable in bull calves. The young bull 

 should lie loose, in a roomy and airy shed, but well 

 littered, and at the age of four months he should be ac- 

 customed to the use of a halter or headstall, be occa- 

 sionally led round a paddock, at other times tied up for 

 an hour, and every means taken to render him docile 

 and tractable. As the bull increases in strength he 

 should be exercised daily, and treated with the greatest 

 kindness and carefulness. After eight months the calf 

 may be gradually weaned from milk, by substituting 

 linseed tea ; and a peck of sliced turnips or wurzel may 

 be given it daily, with Slbs. linseed-cake, and a quart 



of oatmeal mixed with hty chaft". Wiitn between ten 

 and twelve months old, the young bull should have a 

 ring p'jt in his nose. I j)refer copiier rings, wluch are 

 made of tjireo Bizi?, and are to be obtained in many 

 parts of Yorkshire at 30s. per dozen. The no.^tril is 

 usually pierced with a hot iron, or cut with a stamp nose- 

 punch, and the ring riveted. The nostril will require 

 rubbing with fresh lard for several days afterwards, 

 and the bull should not be led by the ring until the 

 wound is completely healed. Bull calves which are not 

 desired for getting stock should be castrated at a month 

 old, when the operation can be safely performed. 



A young bull will serve a heifer, and get her with 

 calf, when he is ten months old ; but it is better not 

 to work him until he is a year old, when the bull may 

 be moderately used to small heifars, without fear of 

 straining his loins or checking his growth. Bull calves 

 are frequently allowed to run in the fields with a 

 " nurse " cow, and suck her at will, gradually weaning 

 themselves. Cases are known where such calves, at 

 eight months old, have bulled their "nurse" and got 

 her with calf. Care must be taken that the first heifers 

 put to the bull are not too wide across the hips, and he 

 should be brought out on an empty stomach, and have 

 a good sight of the heifer before he is suffered to jump 

 her. A fair commencement with a young bull is of 

 much importance, as substquent trouble is thereby 

 avoided. If a heifer will stand quietly in a yard for the 

 bull to serve her, it is far preferable to putting her into 

 the stocks. One thorough jump is suflScient ; and if the 

 heifer passes six weeks without coming into season, it 

 may be presumed the bull has " stopped " her. A bull 

 is often suffered to run with cows in the field, and is 

 driven to and from the homestead with them. There is 

 no better plan of keeping and using a bull than this, and 

 he is more likely to get the cows with calf, and continue to 

 work, than under any other treatment. A pailful of 

 boiled barley given to the bull once or twice a day, when 

 he comes in with the cows, will be found beneficial. If 

 the harley is well boiled, and diluted with a little water, 

 the bull will drink it all. When a bull runs out, it is 

 advisable to strap a board over his eyes, which will pre- 

 vent him destroying trees or fences, and render him less 

 dangerous to human beings in the event of his turning 

 savage. From my knowledge of the effects of peas and 

 beans as food for young bulls, I strongly object to their 

 use, excepting in very limited quantities, being con- 

 vinced that many valuable animals are irreparably injured 

 by the immoderate use of such food. A bull in full 

 work should be well, but not extravagantly fed. In the 

 winter, one bushel of swedes, given at twice, 3 or 4 lbs. 

 of linseed cake, with hay or cut chaff, daily, will keep a 

 bull in good working order. If a bull is having five or 

 six cows a week, he will neither get lazy nor fat on this 

 food ; but if he only has one or two cows a week, he will 

 not require linseed cake. Barley-water is strongly re- 

 commended for drink when a bull is being worked hard. 

 A bull must, in fact, be fed according to his work, and 

 his nature and disposition must be studied; as one will 

 not serve cows if he is poor, another will not serve if he 

 is fresh, and a third will cease to work if he has not a 



