On increasing our Supplies of Animal Food. 361 



so conclusive, as to silence those against whose interests it may lie. 

 We may probably state as its result that a well-bred Leicester 

 sheep carries more meat in proportion to offal than any other 

 breed ; and a well-bred South Down more than individuals of other 

 short-woolled varieties. The relative precocity, or early maturity 

 of these breeds stands also probably pretty much in the same 

 order. The question regarding offal is, however, to be answered 

 satisfactorily, only by a long series of facts regarding animals of 

 either sex, of all ages and condition ; for certainly a fat animal 

 carries less offal proportionally than one but half fat; and to 

 compare a fat Leicester with a fleshy South Down cannot be a fair 

 thing. But we do not possess detailed information on this subject; 

 perhaps as good a single set of facts connected with it as we 

 possess is that furnished by Mr. Moore of Coleshill, in the 7th 

 volume of the Journal. The experiment included four breeds 

 of sheep — the Leicester, Down, Cotswold, and half-bred (Down 

 and Cotswold) ; but I do not quote the results, because even 

 here the trial was of only three or five on either side, a number 

 which cannot be held sufficient to decide the question. 



Of oxen we may remark that in a very full and instructive 

 paper on the carcase weight of cattle, in a monthly periodical 

 called ' The Plough,' the breeds are placed in the following order 

 as to proportionate lightness of offal : — 



1. Durham, Shorthorn, Hereford, Sussex, Devon. 



2. Craven, Lancashire, &c., Galloway, Suffolk, &c. 



3. Argyleshire, Kylo, &c. 



There is no doubt that the Short-horn, Hereford, and Devon 

 oxen are the most economical beef-makers we have. The question 

 remains, which of them is the best in this respect ? and we have 

 no exact answer to give it. But just to show the bearing of 

 breeds on their relative manufacture of offal and meat respec- 

 tively, out of food we may give the following figures, calculated 

 from Mr. E wart's data in the paper alluded to. A short-horn ox 

 (prime fat) of 70 stones carcase weight must, according to his 

 estimation, have weighed 111 stones alive : — 



70 

 A Kylo of 40 stones carcase weight must in like manner have 

 weighed 71 stones alive. 



St. lbs. 



It yielded beef of 1st quality . . 11 



„ „ 2nd „ . . 13 6 



„ 3rd „ . . 15 8 



40 



