E-vperiments in Cattle- Feeding. 343 



that I am aware of having the sliglitest knowledge that any of the 

 animals offered had been competing one against the other. 



The second Table gives the account of the eight younger l^easts, 

 which were sold by auction on the 5th of February last. It is cer- 

 tainly unfortunate that there shouhl have been so great a dilTcrence 

 in the price of beef at the time these were sold from what it was 

 when the previous lot w.as disposed of. Prior to the sale I had 

 estimated tlje value of each beast, and had requested a neighbour, 

 who is a good judge of such matters, also to examine the animals, 

 and give me his opinion ; and had they been sold at the same 

 price per stone as the other lot, the result would have been very 

 different from what it was in fact. I have added three columns 

 as an appendix, showing what would have been the value of each 

 animal at tlie rate per stone the others realized ; and 1 have also 

 entered the rate per stone they actually fetched according to my 

 judgment as to weight. In looking carefully at the results of 

 both experiments, I find it difficult to arrive at any very satis- 

 factory conclusion ; at the same time I think it proves this — that 

 the Ilerefords take the lead in grazing. No. 7 in the first lot 

 Avas decidedly inferior in quality to the other Herefords, which 

 accounts for his not doing so v/ell. The same difference in 

 quality Avas remarkable in the Devons, and especially in the 

 younger beasts. With reference to the shorthorns, Mr. Stratton s 

 never did well ; he told me at first that they were merelv two 

 ordinary animals from his general herd. The same remar.k aj)- 

 plies to No. 18 in the second lot, which was a twin. No. 15, 

 JNIr. Bowly's shorthorn, did remarkably well throughout, and 

 ■was of prime quality. No. IG was a much coarser beast, and at 

 last did not do well, though of immense size. The half-bred of 

 Mr. Beasly's was wild and restless, and did badly, the latter j)art 

 of the time especially, at which I was surprised, as a fcliow- 

 beast which Mr. Beasly fed himself turned out remarkably well ; 

 at one time during the first summer 1 thought he would have 

 taken the lead. At the sale no one could get near to handle him, 

 and I believe that made 2/. or 3/. difference in the price. It will 

 be ol)served in the estimate* made before the sale there is not so 

 much difference between liiin and the rest. 



My object, however, has been to record the facts, and persons 

 interested in such matters must draw their own conclusions. 

 No difference has been made in the rate ])er week charged against 

 the last lotwhUe at grass, except in No, 11, because the value of 

 the food" consumed by each in the house is nearly the same. 

 Tiiey had what swedes or mangold wurzel and hav thev would 

 cat, and tlie same corn and < ake, whicli they all consumed with- 

 out any being weighed back. 



Culcahill, J\hii/, ISoG. 



