FARMERS' REGISTER—OBSERVATIONS ON STOCKING A FARM. 



207 



General observations on bKyii-tg and stocking a 

 farm with cattle. 



The profit to be derived from the occupation of 

 land, depends so much on the command of the re- 

 quisite capital, tliat the most important considera- 

 tion tor a young beginner is to be well advised on 

 this essential point, and to be assured that he pos- 

 sesses sufficient means to turn every acre to the 

 best account: bearing in mind, that a small occu- 

 j)ation, with ample capital, will ever be found more 

 beneiicial than one of larger extent without the 

 power of em])loying it to the greatest advantage ; 

 and that, more ground is generally as easj' to be 

 got (if success should enable him to hire it,) as it 

 is usually difficult to obtain more money. Assum- 

 ing it therefore as certain, that such a beginner is 

 provided with that indispensable requisite, Ave 

 shall proceed to state a few general hints on the 

 buying and stocking of his iarm with cattle; and 

 shall introduce, under the respective accounts of 

 rearing and breeding the different species, such 

 remarks on their various merits and demerits as wiU 

 materially assist him in the course of his labors. 



The first object of attention, then, is to consider 

 the proportion between his stock and the quantity 

 of feed which will be necessary to support them. 

 The nature, situation, and fertility of the soils that 

 compose his farm are equally Avorthy of notice, as 

 well as the purpose for which he designs more par- 

 ticularly to rear or feed his cattle; whether for the 

 pail, or with the view of supplying the markets. 

 In fact, it Avill be expedient to observe the greatest 

 exactness in this propoi'tion, because, in case he 

 should overstock his land, he will be compelled to 

 resell before the cattle are in a fit state for the mar- 

 ket, and, consequently, at certain loss; Avhile, on 

 the other hand, he Avih incur a dimmution in his 

 profit, if he should not stock his land with as many 

 cattle a.s itAvillbear. 



Formerlj', a great prejudice prevailed in favor of 

 big-boned, large beasts, but it has been ascertained 

 that this breed is, in point of profit, much inferior 

 to the middle-sized kind; and, by a careful atten- 

 tion to the selection of stock, no inconsiderable 

 progress may be made towards the improvement 

 of the different species. Among the various pro- 

 fessional breeders of modern times, few have at- 

 tained greater celebrity than the late Mr. Bake- 

 well, of Dishley, to whom we are indebted for many 

 new and important improvements in the science of 

 rearing cattle. The principle which he invariably 

 adopted was, to select the best beast, that would 

 weigh most in the valuable joints; so that, while 

 he gained in point of shape, he also acquired a 

 more hardy breed: and, especially by attending to 

 the kindliness of their skin,* he became possessed 

 of a race which Avas more easily fed and fattened 

 than any other. 



For many years, the inA^ariable practice Avas to 

 judge by the eye only, without regarding the other 

 qualities of the animal intended to be purchased; 

 but, in the present improA'ed age, a more ratignal 

 mode of forming the judgement has been adopted. 



* As this expression may probably often appear in 

 the course of the subsequent pages, it may not be afto- 

 gether irrelevant to state, that it implies a skin whicli 

 feels mellow, i. e. soft, yet firm to the touch, and which 

 is equally distant from the hard, dry skin, peculiar to 

 some cattle, as it is from the loose and flabby feel of 

 others. 



The sense of touch is noAV brought in aid of the 

 sight; and, by repeated practice, the art of judging 

 of the kindliness to fatten has been brought to such 

 perfection,, that any Avell inibmied breeder, Avho 

 has personal experience, can, on examining lean 

 beasts, tell, almost instantaneously, in what points 

 or parts they Avill or will not fatten. 



It might be expected that the result of such ex- 

 perience should be here stated, and some rules be 

 laid down, by Avhich a judgement on this important 

 point could be formed; but, in fact, this knowledge 

 can only be acquired by constant handling of both 

 lean and fat beasts, and can only be described hi 

 general terms. Sir John Sinclair has justly re- 

 marked, that, "when the hide or skin feels soft 

 and silky, it strongly indicates a tendency in the 

 animal to take on meat; and it is evident, that a 

 fine and soft skin must be more pliable, and more 

 easily stretched out to receive any extraordinary 

 quantity of flesh than a thick or tough one. At 

 the same time, thick hides are of great importance 

 in various manufactures. Indeed, they are neces- 

 saiy in cold countries, where cattle are much ex- 

 posed to the inclemency of the seasons; and, in the 

 laest breeds of Highland cattle, the skin is thick in 

 proportion to their size, Avithout being so tough as 

 to be prejudicial to their capacity of fattening."* 



In the selection, therefore, of live stock in ge- 

 neral, the young farmer Avill find it necessary at- 

 tentively to consider the following particulars: — 



I. Beauty, or symmetry of shape; in which the 

 form is so compact, that e\-ery part of the animal 

 bears an exact consistency, whDe the carcass 

 should be deep and broad, and the less valuable 

 parts (such as the head, bones, &c.) ought to be as 

 small as possible. The carcass should be large, 

 the bosom broad, and chest deep; the ribs standing 

 out from the spine, both to give strength of frame 

 and constitution, and likcAvise to admit of ample 

 room for the intestines; but yet not so'much as to 

 be what is called high-ribbed, as the butchers con- 

 sider it an indication of deficiency in AA-eight of 

 meat. Further, the shoulders ought not only to 

 be light of bone, and rounded ofi^ at the lower 

 point, but also broad, and well covered Avith flesh. 

 The back also ought to be Avide and level through- 

 out; the quarters long, the thighs tapering and nar- 

 roAV at the round bone, but Avell coA'ered Avith flesh 

 in the tAA'ist; and the flank full and large. The 

 legs ought to be straight beloAv the knee and hock, 

 and of a moderate length; light boned; clean from 

 fleshiness, yet having joints and sinews of a mod- 

 erate size, for the united purposes of strength and 

 activity. In these points all intelligent breeders 

 concur; but, a^ beauty of shape too often depends 

 on the caprice of fashion, it is more requisite to re- 

 gard, 



II. Utility of form, or that nice proportion of the 

 parts Avhich has already been noticed. 



III. The_^es/(, or texture of the muscular parts; 

 a quality which Avas formerly noticed only by 

 butchers, but the knoAA'ledge of which is justly 

 deemed essential by the enlightened breeders of 

 the present day; and although this quality necessa- 

 rily varies according to the age and size of cattle, 

 yet it may be greatly regulated by attention to the 

 food employed for fattening them. As a knoAvl- 

 edge of this requisite can only be acquired by prac- 

 tice, it is sufficient to state, that the best sign of 



* "Hints regarding Cattle," p. 157, &c. 



