278 Management of Dairy Cattle. 



flavouring' materials, with oat or other straw and rape-cake: the 

 effect of steaming- is to volatilise the essential oils, in which 

 the flavour resides, and diffuse them through the mess. The 

 odour arising from it resembles that observed from the process 

 of malting: this imparts relish to the mess, and induces the 

 cattle to eat it greedily ; in addition to which I am disposed to 

 think that it renders the food more easy of digestion and assimi- 

 lation. I use this process with advantage for fattening, when I 

 am deficient in roots. With the same mixed straw and oat- 

 shells, 3 to 4 lbs. each of rape-cake, and ^ lb. of linseed oil, but 

 without roots, I have fattened more than 30 heifers and cows 

 free from milk, from March up to the early part of May ; their 

 gain has averaged fully 14 lbs. each per week — a result I could 

 not have looked for from the same materials if uncooked ; this 

 process seems to have the effect of rendering linseed oil less of a 

 laxative, but cannot drive off any portion of the fattening oils, to 

 volatilise which requires a very high temperature. My experi- 

 ence of the benefits of steaming is such, that if I were deprived 

 of it I could not continue to feed witli satisfaction. 



I have weighed my fattening cattle for a number of years, and 

 my milch cows for more than two years ; this practice enables 

 me at once to detect any deficiency in the performance of the 

 animals ; it gives also a stimulus to the feeders, who attend at the 

 weighings, and who are desirous that the cattle entrusted to their 

 care should bear a comparison with their rivals. Another ob- 

 vious advantage is in avoiding all cavils respecting the weight by 

 my purchasers, who, having satisfied themselves as to the quality 

 of the animal, now ask and obtain the most recent weighing. 

 The usual computation for a well-fed, but not over fat beast, is, 

 I've to dead weight as 21 to 12, or 100 to 59 l-7th, with such 

 modifications as suggest themselves by appearances. 



Though many discussions have taken place on the fattening of 

 cattle, the not less important branch of dairy treatment has 

 hitherto been comparatively neglected. I therefore venture to 

 call attention to considerations which have arisen from observa- 

 tions in my own practice, affecting the chemistry and phy- 

 siology, or, in other words, the science of feeding. That I am 

 seeking aid from its guidance will be apparent, and I have no 

 hesitation in admitting, that beyond the satisfaction from the 

 better understanding of my business, I have latterly derived more 

 benefit or profit from examination of the chemical composition of 

 materials of food than from the treatment or feeding experiments of 

 others which have come under my notice. So persuaded am I of 

 the advantage of this, that I do not feel satisfied to continue the use 

 of any material, with the composition of which I am not acquainted, 

 without resorting to the Society's Laboratory for an analysis. 



