370 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch.XXXIL 



2 to 2J years, 30 stone 



3 to 31 „ 41 „ 



4 to 4* „ 54 „ 



almost all which several additions are made during the six months of the 

 grass season *. Perhaps, however, no age exceeds four years for capacity 

 of feeding, either as it regards quantity or quality of flesh. Thus we learn 

 from some very experienced salesmen and carcase butchers, the average of 

 the large-framed beasts of our English counties, when regularly grazed, 

 without stall-feeding, will generally arrive at that period to about 

 110 to 115 stone of 8lbs. the carcase 

 20 „ 25 „ the fat and hide 



while if worked until seven years old, and then grazed, they will not reach 

 more than an increase of about 10 per cent, in weight. 



In corroboration of this we also know that Lord Spencer, who grazes 

 oxen bred by himself to a considerable extent, putting them in his best 

 pastures only in the last summer before they are sent to the butcher, is in 

 the habit of dividing the price for which each individual is sold by the 

 number of days he is old, and he has found that, on an average, those oxen 

 which are sent to the butcher at about four years old pay more per month 

 for the time they are entered to the time they are sold than those sent to 

 the butcher at an earlier or later period. During the time the oxen are 

 kept in the store pastures the cost of keeping them is very small, and 

 therefore, as those sold at four years old pass three-fourths of their time in 

 store pasture, whereas those sold at three years old only pass two-thirds of 

 their time in it, the advantage of keeping them till four years old appears 

 to be very great. We must however admit, that many extensive graziers 

 in the north bring three-year-old bullocks to market of great weight, and 

 their continuance of the practice proves it to be incontestably profitable ; 

 indeed, a cattle-dealer, who has lately published some intelligent practical 

 tracts on the subject of feeding, insists that short-horns can be brought to 

 maturity at two years old with greater advantage than at any other age.f 



In stocking the ground, as the proportion of cattle must depend upon 

 the nature of the soil, it will perhaps be generally found that local habit, as 

 being usually the result of experience, is the surest guide. On this we 

 have, therefore, but little to add to what we have already stated on the 

 subject — in vol. i. p. 4S2 ; except that the grazier should take especial care 

 not to turn his stock into the pastures in the spring until there be a full 

 bite ; and the fatting beasts ought to have the prime of the grass, of which 

 they should have the pick, and be followed by young cattle, which should 

 be afterwards turned in as stores until they are ready for the 



STRAW-YARD. 



This, although in some large farms enclosed apart, is, however, more 

 generally an open space surrounded by the buildings of the homestead, — 

 and being deeply embedded with straw, and thus screened from the wind, 

 is sufficiently warm for the comfort of store-cattle, which are those only 

 for which it is distinctively appropriated. There, no doubt, their hides and 

 hair become in some degree impenetrable to the weather, and although 

 exposed to rain and snow they suffer comparatively but little from the 

 cold ; but they unquestionably thrive better when enjoying the slielter of a 



* Vol. iii., r- 90. 



t See Dickson on Live-Stock, Quart. Journ. of Agric, No. xxx., p. 275. 



