SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 567 



good condition without grooming or oiling them. You may 

 have a secret way of doing this, but I find it hard work to keep 

 tlieir coats in nice conchtion by grooming them all the time and 

 feeding them oil-cake. 



And another thing, I think the best part of the ration is the 

 ground oats. I believe that will do more to keep an animal in 

 fine condition than any other food. 



Mr. Tomson : I believe Mr. Stodder covered pretty thorou- 

 ghly the best methods of handing show stock. I rather dis- 

 agree with him, though, about keeping them on grass. We 

 keep our cattle on grass until a short time before the show, but 

 this is a matter of difference in the nature of cattle. Some are 

 inclined to graze too much at night. 



Oil-mtal we have fed very little of, with no very satisfactory 

 results. A good many cattle are inclined to dislike it. xA.s to 

 improving the coat, it does perhaps for a short time loosen up ; 

 but if they are in good condition, the hair is always loose and 

 pliable, and oil-meal has a tendency to make the coat deaden 

 instead of slicken. 



As to sore feet : It is a common complaint among show 

 animals, but I think it is largely due to lack of cleanliness. If 

 you use plenty of bedding and have it moist, when they cannot 

 keep their feet moist by going out in the field, use a little water 

 or use some disinfectant. I do not believe you will be bothered. 



One thing I think possibly Mr. Stodder might have said more 

 about — I apologize for his statement that he was not prepared; 

 he learned that in the show ring; they never are prepared there — ■ 

 about feeding sale cattle ; I think this is one thing that causes 

 perhaps more loss to breeders of pure-bred cattle than anything 

 else — cattle for auction as well as cattle for private sales. A 

 great many of them graze their cattle until about a month or 

 two before they want to sell, and then put them in lots and feed 

 them all they want, instead of feeding them carefully; and as 

 a result they sell them to people who take them home, and they 

 go back to ordinary former treatment, and get out of condition 

 and give poor satisfaction; and purchasers begin to feel that 

 there is something in good condition that is not serviceable, and 



