666 Live Stock Cows in Calf Jhould be wellfed Bulls Vigour oj. 



injury fuftained in his flock. But in order to induce heifers to take the bull at 

 fo early a period, they -muft be conftantly well kept. When this bufinefs is too 

 long protracted they are more liable to mifs having calves. Therefore, in general, 

 letting the heifers take the bull at two years old may be the moft proper time. 



The cow takes nine months and a few days in moft cafes to complete the bufinefs 

 of geftation, and feldom produces more than one calf at a time. A cow may pro 

 duce her young at any feafon of the year, but it is of great confequence to the far 

 mer to have thecows to calve as early as poffible in the beginning of the year, 

 while veal and all the products which they afford are dear, and that the calves 

 when reared may be got forward in the bed manner. In fome diftricts, farmers 

 think it the moft advantageous for them to calve when there is a full bite of grafs, 

 efpecially in the firft calf, as they are fuppofed to be rendered better milkers 

 thereby afterwards, in confequence of the fecretion of the milk being more com 

 pletely eftablifhed.* 



In all cafes the cow (lock, efpecially that part of it which is in calf, mould be 

 as well kept and flickered from cold and wet in the winter months as the nature 

 of the farm will admit. By keeping the cows in good condition in this way, 

 they not only calve wit\greater fafcty, but take the bull again much fooner, and 

 are more advantageous in their milking. The practice of foddering with flraw 

 fhould be as much avoided as poffible, and the method of management that has 

 been already recommended adhered to as much as can be.f The farmer may in 

 deed take it as a certain rule, that no benefit can be derived from bad keeping in 

 any fort of breeding animals. 



The vigour of the bull will lafl feveral years, if not made too free with while he 

 is young, but he is ufually in his moft perfect Hate from two or three years old to 

 five or fix. Thefe animals mould be kept in well inclofed places, and have the 

 cows brought to them. The practice of working them -is not in general to be 

 advifed, as they are apt to become by that means too dull and heavy for leaping. 

 They mould always be kept well in this intention. In rearing young bulls they 

 ihould be conftantly fupplied with food in a plentiful manner from the period of 

 their being calved till they are full grown. Mr. Bakewell was fo convinced of 



* Sir John Sinclair in Farmer s Magazine, vol. III. 

 f See Cow keeping in fe&ion the feventb, in the Cultivation of Graft Land. 



