60 Cross-Breedin{j Cattle. 



received daily 4 lbs. of linseed-cake and one busliel of cut roots, 

 with plenty of cut straw-chaff and a small modicum of hay. 

 On the 1st of March, 18G6, the quantity of cake Avas increased to 

 G lbs., and 6 lbs. of meal, bean and barley, were added. He was 

 sold for oOZ. on the 8th of June, 1860, to a butcher in a neigh- 

 bouring- village, and weighed when dressed 115 stones of 8 lbs., 

 being then under twenty-six months of age. 



A promising animal, with three crosses of short-horn blood, 

 was saved as a bull, being of a fashionable roan colour, and good 

 in all his points ; he was sold at ten months old, for 30/., to a 

 larmer in the neighbourhood, who keeps a small herd of well- 

 bred short-horn cows : the cross has so far been successful, the 

 calves look promising, are well shaped, with abundance of flesh, 

 and plenty of hair. Another of the fourth cross, saved as a bull, 

 is a promising animal of his age, but he is still under a year old ; 

 his quality, colour, and general appearance are those of a pure- 

 bred short-horn, from which he can scarcely be distinguished. 



The cows and heifers have all been regfular breeders, and the 



... 

 total number of calves reared from this family considerably 



exceeds a hundred, although about four years ago they were 



visited by pleuro-pneumonia, and a number of the best animals, 



in spite of every effort, succumbed to the disease. 



Without a single exception the stock bred has been free from 

 any approach to black even in the muzzle, which has been in- 

 variably of a light or flesh colour — a distinguishing mark of a 

 thrifty animal. 



The first and second crosses were principally red roans, Avith 

 a few blood-reds. It is, however, remarkable, that of the first 

 cross a considerable number were white, or white with red ears ; 

 all the bulls used have been either red, red and white, or dark 

 roan. 



The first and second cross retain much of the wild and rest- 

 less habits so characteristic of the Highlander ; and it is not 

 until they become more closely related to the short-horn that 

 they acquire his docile habits. 



Cows and heifers from this herd have been exhibited from 

 time to time at the local cattle-shows, and have carried off prizes 

 when competing with pure-bred stock. Steers and oxen have in 

 like manner taken prizes in the classes for fat beasts — a steer, 

 having two crosses of short-horn, took first honours, both at 

 Birmingham and London, in the same year. 



The beef of cross-bred cattle is now generally admitted in the 

 English markets to possess superior quality — as having a greater 

 quantity of lean than that of inost of the pui'e breeds, and also 

 from the fat being well mixed with the flesh or muscular parts, 



