204 FARMERS' REGISTER— COMPARATIVE VIEW OF DIFFERENT BREEDS. 



day. They were sixteen weeks fattening, and 

 their respective weight when put up, and when 

 fatted, was as follows: — 



No. 



Hereford. 



Sussex. 



Devon. 



Thus, it will be perceived, that, iipon equal quan- 

 tities of food, the Herefords put on the most flesh ; 

 nor will it escape observation that, in that, the larg- 

 est bullocks had the advantage. It has, indeed, 

 been remarked, that the thorough bred Hereford 

 cattle, that have attained their lull size, require a 

 less proportion of food to make them fat, than 

 others of the same breed that are not so highly 

 bred, nor so handsomely formed; and that, so far 

 from requiring a larger quantity of Ibod, they will 

 consume a much less proportion than other smaller 

 oxen of mixed breed.* To which it may be ad- 

 ded, as a general remark, that, 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 ad- 

 vantage being usually in favor of the largest, 

 when all other considerations are equal. On this 

 particular trial it should also be noticed, that, 

 although the plan of feeding on equal quantities 

 was judiciously adopted, as a mean of ascertaining 

 which breed would put on the most flesh with a 

 limited amount of food, yet it cannot be deemed 

 decisive of their relative qualities; for some would 

 probably not have had sufficient to satisfy their ap- 

 petite, and consequendy would iiot thrive so fast 

 as those which had enough, although, had they 

 been allowed as much as they could eat, they 

 might, perhaps, have increased in a more than 

 equal proportion. Accordingly, another experi- 

 ment, made nearly at the same time as the former, 

 at Woburn, under the direction of the late Duke 

 of Bedford, gives a different result, both as regards 

 the breeds, and the weight of the cattle. 



Six oxen, two Herefords, two Devons, one of 

 the Sussex, and one of the Leicester long-horned, 

 were put u]) at one time; and (with the exception 

 of one of the Herefords, which had not any cake) 

 were fed on equal quantities of oil-cake, with as 

 much turnips and hay as they could eat, for an equal 

 number of days, and their respective weights, at 

 each period, were as follows: — 



* See Agricultural Survey of Sussex, p. 243. 



.§ - 



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From this it would appear, that the Devonshire 

 cattle were superior, as the ox (No. 4) of that 

 breed, gained 185 lbs. more flesh than the Here- 

 ford ox (No. 2) upon a nearly equal quantity of 

 food, of similar quality; and, in farther contradic- 

 tion to the former experiment, as well as to com- 

 mon observation, that, in this, the cattle throve in 

 an inverse proportion to their weight, the smaller 

 having the advantage. But it is also worthy of 

 remark, that the difference was equally striking 

 between the two Devons, though of equal weight; 

 and this exemplifies the truth of an observation of 

 daily occurrence, that cattle of the same breed, are 

 j^et of different constitution, and do not always 

 possess an equal aptitude to convert their nourish- 

 ment into fiit. Thus it will be found, that of a 

 score of bidlocks of the same stock, age, and ap- 

 parent quality, fed and managed alike, some will 

 fatten much sooner than others, and arrive at 

 greater weight; and that, in those which, when 

 alive, appear equal to the eye and touch, a mani- 

 fest difference will often be found when they are 

 slaughtered. Therefore, however justly some. ~ 

 breeds may be preferred, u])on the general princi- 

 ple that the progeny partake of the disposition of 

 the sire and dam, yet this theoiy is frequently con- 

 tradicted in practice. The state of the parent 



