214 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



BEST ROUTES OF EXPORT, AND COST THEREOF. 



Per rail to Glasgow, Liverpool, or London, thence per suitable or 

 specially fitted up fast steamers to the United States. The " through 

 freight' 7 of cattle from most parts of Scotland to the United States is 

 about $26 per head; from the extreme northeast of Scotland, Aberdeen, 

 Banff, or Peterhead, about $27.50. 



THE BEST SCOTCH CATTLE TO EXPORT. 



The most suitable animals to export to the United States depends 

 on the climatic conditions of the States to which they are sent. As 

 beef producers the Polled Angus, Shorthorns, West Highland, and the 

 Polled Galloway are the best to export from this district. The West 

 Highlander's beef is considered the best, and they are the most hardy, 

 being able to stand much exposure and therefore best adapted for cold 

 and mountainous districts, being able to live on coarse and scanty food. 

 They are, however, small, and do not arrive at maturity till three or 

 four years old. The Polled Angus rank next for superior beef, and are 

 nearly as hardy as the West Highlanders, and are much larger in size 

 and come, to maturity at the age of from twenty-eight to thirty-six 

 months. They are principally bred and raised in the northeast of Scot- 

 land, and are believed to be very suitable for the northern part of the 

 United States and western ranches. The Shorthorns are very large, 

 and come to maturity at about the same age as Polled Angus, but their 

 beef is of a coarser quality. 



The Polled Galloway very much resembles the West 'Highland, al- 

 though larger, and comes to maturity earlier. The Aberdeenshire farm- 

 ers, for beef, prefer a cross between a Shorthorn bull and a Polled Angus 

 cow, as crosses of this origin arrive quickly at maturity, are of good size, 

 and produce beef of fine quality. 



As milkers the Ayrshires are undoubtedly the best to take from this 

 country. 



PURCHASING- PRICES OF ANIMALS. 



Per head. 



Average pure Polled Angus cattle $150 to $300 



Blackballed Galloways 100 250 



Shorthorns 125 



Ayrshires 75 150 



West Highland 75 125 



All, of course, depends on quality. 



Very superior sepcimens of all of the breeds mentioned have repeat- 

 edly been sold for exportation to the United States at considerably 

 higher prices than the average given, but to obtain adequate specimens 

 of the several breeds in this district the averages mentioned would have 

 to be given, although sales at less prices have occasionally been made. 



For expenses for attendance and food en route, $6.25 for food (hay 

 and oil cake), and $1.25 per head for attendance total, $7.50 is consid- 

 ered sufficient, and with a good number of cattle on board the total 

 expense would'be about $6.25. Some experienced United States traders 

 in thoroughbred cattle are supposed to make $3.25 cover the total 

 charges under this head. 



CATTLE STATISTICS OF SCOTLAND. 



The total number of cattle in Scotland for the year 1883 was 1,094,317. 



The percentage of the several breeds is not known from any statis- 

 tics, but probably the cattle stock of this district is composed of three 

 parts of cross-breeds and one part of the several pure breeds. 



