i»EAT CATTLEr 14t 



lire intended. If the best mileh eows are desired, select from 

 the best breeds of those which are known to h& the best for 

 that uie ; those which yield the most of such cream as makee 

 the best butter, in any one year, are generally to be preferred. 

 The size of cows is not so material ; as it is found that all cat- 

 tle eat nearly in proportion to their respective sizes. What 

 would be necessary to feed one of the large Lancashire breed 

 of cows, would be nearly sufficient for two of the Alderney 

 fcreed, before mehti6ned ; while the milk of the tw;o latter 

 would probably nearly double that of the former. There is 

 hardly any breed of neat cattle but what are sufficiently large 

 formilchcows, if well kept. ^ , ^ w r^ • 



A perfect cow, says the compiler of the Complete trrazier, 

 should have a broad smooth forehead, black eyes, large clean 

 horns, thick skin, large deep body, strong muscular thighs, 

 large white or yellow udder, with long elastic teats, together 

 With every other token requisite in a bull, allowmg for the dit- 

 ference of sex. It is said milch kine are not good for breed- 

 ing after they are twelve. ,, _ ^^. , r. 

 The signs of a good ox, says Mr. Dean, are thick, sett, 

 smooth short hair, short thick head, gloss smooth horns, large 

 shaggy ears, wide forehead, full black eyes, wide nostrils, 

 black lips, thick fleshy neck, large shoulders, broad yems, 

 large belly, thick rump and thighs, straight back, long tail well 

 covered with hair, and short broad hoofs. The best colors are 

 brown, dark red, and brindled. 



When a cow is found to produce calves which make cowe 

 or oxen of the above description, she should be kept for a 

 breeder, and her calves, provided they come in proper season, 

 ehould be raised instead of being committed to the butcher, as 



they too oflen are. ^ /* ., , • .1 



Calves, for raising, should be brought forth early in the 

 apring ; those brought late will not so well endure the succeed- 

 ing winter, and, if heifers, will usually go to the thirdi'year be- 

 fore they are with calf, while those that are calved earlier will 

 usually "bring forth a year sooner. 



It often happens, throug want of attention, that the best cows 

 for breeding, bring their calves too late for raising, and is it not 

 too generally the practice among farmers to be governed by 

 no other rule of decision, with respect to the calves they will 

 raise, except of their being brought forth in proper season : 

 while they perhaps improvidently let their best cows calve 

 out of season, and for that reason kill them. 



Heifers generally arrive at the age of puberty when they 

 are eighteen months ; though in some instances they h&VG. 



