386 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXIV. 



Bullocks varying from 45 to 60 stone consume from 8 to 10 stone of carrots 

 or parsnips, besides dry provender ; and it has been found that an ox will 

 eat something less than one-fifth per day of his own weight in cabbages. 



These trials are, however, so far from being decisive in their information, 

 that they can only be viewed as approximating to the truth, and merely 

 furnishing hints for practice. Indeed, although small cattle will, on an 

 average, consume less food than those of a larger size, yet the quantity is 

 by no means in exact proportion to their weight : the advantage being 

 usually in favour of the largest, when all other considerations are equal. 

 It has also been justly remarked, as an observation of daily occurrence, 

 " That cattle of the same breed are yet of different constitutions, and do 

 not always possess an equal aptitude to convert their nourishment into fat. 

 Thus, in an experiment ordered at Woburn, by the late Duke of Bedford, 

 on six oxen — two of them Herefords ; two Devons ; one of the Sussex, 

 and one of the long-horned Leicester breed — which were put up at one 

 time for an equal number of days, and (with the exception of one of the 

 Herefords) were daily fed on equal quantities of oil-cake, with as much 

 turnips and hay as they could eat ; the whole quantity consumed, and their 

 res])eclive weights at each period, were as follows *: — 



Live Weight 

 IstWeifjlit. Food consumed. 2ud Weight. gained. 



(Oil-cake . . 424 lbs.] 

 No. 1. Heiefoid 146 st. {Turnips . 2712 „ MGO st. 1 1 lbs. 23 st. 1 1 lbs. 



[Hay . . 433 „ j 



„ 2. Ditto 136 St. 1 lb. jJ.'"'"'P^ • ^g7"}lJ0st. 13 st. 13 lbs. 



[Oil-cake . 433 ., "j 

 Sussex 132 St. < Turnips . .2655 „ >15S st. 26 st. 



(Hay . . 392 



Oil-cake . . 435 





4. Leicester 125 st. {Turnips . 2652 „ V 148 si. 23 st. 



[Hay . . .400 



'Oil-cake . 443 



S.Devon 117 st. {Turnips . . 2636 „ Vl54 st. 37 st. 



Hay . . 443 



f Oil-cake . . 438 „ ] 



„ 6. Ditto 114 st. 71 bs.^ Turnips . 2668 „ }140 st. 7 lbs. 26 st. 



[Hay . . . 295 „ ) 



From which it will bo seen, that, in opposition to the common remark of 

 large cattle generally thriving in a greater degree than small ones upon a 

 proportionate quantity of food, the smaller species had the advantage. The 

 striking diil'erence between the two Devons of equal weight is likewise 

 worthy of remark ; while the similarity of food consumed by beasts of 

 different v/eight is also extraordinary. It will thus, indeed, be frequently 

 found, that in a score of bullocks of the same breed, age, and apparent 

 quality, fed and managed alike, some will fatten much sooner than others, 

 and arrive to greater weight when slaughtered, than those which, when 

 alive, appeared to both eye and touch without the least difference. How- 

 ever justly, therefore, some breeds are to he preferred upon general prin- 

 ciples, experience has fully proved that, although comparative trials of their 

 respective merits are not to be slighted, yet their results are often contra- 

 dictory, and their conclusions not always entitled to decisive faith. 



ascertaineil, that a beast of 45 stone ate 16 stone of white turnips; and one of 50 stone 

 only 12 stone of Swedes: so that, taking an average of the different kinds of turnips 

 together, one ton may be fairly supposed to return 14 lbs., — or one stone of beef and 

 tallow. — Gen. Rep. of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 95. 

 * See the Complete Grazier; 6th edit. p. 28, and the Bedfordshire Report, p. 532. 



