Book VI L BREEDING OF THE BULL FAMILY. 961 



SuBSECT. 3. Of the Breeding of Horned Cattle. 



6144. The objects to be kent in vieio in breeding cattle, are a form, either well adapted 

 to fatten; well adapted for producing milk; or for labor. These three objects have 

 each of them engaged the attention of British agriculturists; but experience has not 

 hitherto justified the expectation that has been entertained of combining all these desir- 

 able properties, in an eminent degree, in the same race. That form which indicates the 

 property of yielding the most milk, differs materially from that which we know from ex- 

 perience to be combined with early maturity and the most valuable carcase; and the breeds 

 which are understood to give the greatest weight of meat for the food they consume, and 

 to contain the least proportion of offal, are not those which possess, in the highest degree, 

 the strength and activity required in beasts of labor. 



6145. ^ disposition to fatten, arid a tendency to yield a large quantity of milk , cannot 

 be united. The form of the animal most remarkable for the first, is very different from 

 that of the other; in place of being flat in the sides, and big in the belly, as all great 

 milkers are, it is high-sided and light-bellied: in a word, the body of the animal well 

 adapted to fatten is barrel -formed, while that of the milker is widest downwards. It is 

 not probable, therefore, that the properties of two breeds of cattle, so opposite in form 

 and general appearance, can ever be united in the same animal. 



6146. The long and short horned breeds have hitherto been in possession of tlie best part 

 of the island ; but various others, as the Ayrshire, the Galloway cattle, and Kyloes, 

 might be bred with advantage in many situations, so as to be more profitable than either 

 the short-horns or the long-horns. These breeds of cattle, as true quick feeder?, and 

 being kindly-fleshed, or excellent eating beef, have established their character in the first 

 market in the island. The Scotch or Kyloes are better adapted to cold, exposed, 

 heathy, mountainous situations, than any other breed we have. Particular breeds 

 are probably best adapted to particular situations, ; on which ground breeders of cattle 

 should endeavor to find out what breed is the most profitable and best suited to their 

 situations, and to improve that breed to the utmost, rather than to try to unite 

 the particular qualities of two or more distinct breeds by crossing. The latter is a 

 precarious practice, for we generally find the produce inherit the coarseness of both breeds, 

 and rarely attain the good properties which the pure distinct breeds individually possess. 

 In order to have good cattle of any breed, particular regard must be paid in selecting 

 those that are the most complete and perfect in their form, shape, and other qualities, and 

 to breed from them. 



6147. An extraordinary degree of attention has been paid to the breeding of cattle in 

 England since the time of Bakewell, and some illustrious names might be mentioned in 

 addition to those of professional farmers. Pedigrees of the best cattle have been pre- , 

 served with no less care, in several places, than those of race-horses, and in the selection 

 of breeders, the properties of the family from which they have descended, are matters of 

 scarcely less importance than the form of the young animals themselves. The extraor- 

 dinary prices paid for the best bred bulls and cows, show that this attention has not been 

 without its reward. 



6148. The best bulls are either let out for the season, or cows are brought to them at a certain rate per 

 head. The practice of letting bulls is said to have originated with Bakewell {Marshals Midland Coun- 

 ties, vol. i. p. 334.), who, so far back as 1732, let a bull for one hundred and fifty-two guineas, to be used 

 only four months (Pa?A'//won, vol. ii. p. 469.) ; and five guineas per cow were about that time commonly 

 paid to him-and other eminent breeders. 



6149. The age at which hulls should beftin to be employed, and the number of seasons they should be al- 

 lowed to serve, as well as the age at which the females should begin to breed, are points regarding which 

 practice is by no means uniform. In the midland counties, the bulls are pretty commonly allowed to leap 

 while yearlings, and if good stock-getters are kept on as long as they will do business, perhaps till they are 

 ten or twelve years old. In other places they are employed only three seasons, for the first time at two 

 years old. The females, in many instances, bring their first calf at the age of two years, but more com- 

 monly, perhaps, not till they are a year older; and in some of the Highland districts, where, owing to a 

 want of proper nourishment in tiui'r infancy, they are later in coming to their full growth, the females do 

 not often become mothers till they are about four years old. 



61.50. The period of gestation with cows has been found, upon an average of a great 

 number of experiments, to be about forty weeks. M. Tessier communicated to the Na- 

 tional Institute of France the following observations on this subject: Of 160 cows 14 

 calved from the 241st to the 266th day ; three on the 270th ; 50 on the 280th; 68 on 

 from the 280th to the 290th ; 20 on the SOOth, and five on the 308th. Cows seldom 

 bring more than one calf at a time. "When they produce twins, one of them a male and 

 the other a female, the latter, which is called a free martin, is commonly considered to 

 be incapable of procreation. Yet there seems to have been well authenticated instances 

 to the contrary. (^Farmer s Magazine, vol. vii. p. 462. ; and vol. viii. p. 466.) 



6151. The most desirable period for putting coivs to the bull is midsummer, in order that they maybe 

 dropped in spring, and have the whole of the grass season before them. Where no regular system is fol- 

 lowed, and cows are sent to the bull merely because thev are in heat, calvesi will be dropped at all seasons; 



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