186 THE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



March or April. In winter the stock generally get meadow hay 

 or straw, and in many cases a few turnips in the open field, in 

 addition to what rough grass they pick up in the woods and 

 other sheltered places ; and it is surprising how they maintain 

 condition under such treatment during the most severe winters. 

 For some time after calving and until the young grass comes on 

 in May, the calves are kept separate from their dams, and let in 

 to them to suckle three times a day ; but when the cows are 

 turned afield the calves are turned out along with them, and 

 remain at foot until they are weaned, which is usually about the 

 beginning of October. The experiment of allowing the cows to 

 calve in the open field, and letting the calf follow the dam at 

 will from birth, has been tried, but the result was that both cows 

 and calves became very wild, and the cows were often dangerous to 

 approach. In general. Highland cattle are gentle and good- 

 tempered ; but when left to roam at large in the woods or on 

 the hills, where they seldom see the face of man, or at least of a 

 stranger, they become shy, and, like all wild animals, guard 

 their young with jealous care; and the means of offence and 

 defence at the command of a Highland heifer are not to be 

 lightly regarded by the most courageous. In some good folds, 

 in Inverness-shire for example, the breeding cows are housed 

 and milked like dairy cows, and the calves rearea by hand ; but 

 this is done only on mixed farms, partly arable and partly 

 pastoral. A Highland cow yields nothing like the quantity of 

 milk that an Ayrshire does, but the quality is much richer. The 

 age at which Highland cows calve is usually four years, because 

 it is found that, unlike softer breeds, the heifers are not at 

 maturity until they are three years old, and of course breeding 

 at an earlier age stops their growth. The usual practice with 

 Highland farmers is to draft off in October or November their 

 old cows and surplus young stock, the latter generally at six 

 quarters old. Prices of course vary with demand and quality 

 but from 81. to 121. is the ordinary range of prices for the better 

 sort of this class of young cattle. 



The crossing of Highland heifers with Shorthorns is a subject 

 which is often discussed, and generally viewed with great favour 

 by good judges of both breeds of cattle, but the experiment does 

 not seem to have been yet tried with such success as to have 



