FARMERS' REGISTER— GRAZING NEAT CATTLE. 



333 



ConnectPii with Ihe subject of draught is ano- 

 ther, wliich luis only received, of late years, fliat 

 attention' which it required, viz. the shoeing of 

 oxen; a necessary opcmtion, which, wlien carefully 

 ■t^xeculed, will not only conduce to the animal's 

 fonilbrt and health, but also to i\\c fanner's profit; 

 as he will thus he enabled to draw both with great- 

 er speed and with superior effect. According to 

 the common ])ractice, the animal is first cast, or 

 thrown, and his legs bound together in the usual 

 manner; he is then forced nearly upon his back, 

 and his feet are hoisted up to a convenient height 

 by means of a forked pole, the forked end taking 

 the bandage that binds the leet, while the opposite 

 end is firmly fixed in the sward upon which they. 



are thrown: the farrier then proceeds to affix the 

 shoes in a manner similar to that practised on 

 horses. By this simple contrivance, the operation 

 acquires great firmness, steadiness, and conve- 

 nience; but itis attended with disadvantage, as acci- 

 dents sometimes occur in the operation of casting: 

 the other oxen are also apt to become unnily on 

 seeing their companions roughly treated, and thus 

 many valuable cattle are ofien rendered complete- 

 ly useless. To obviate such accidents, an inge- 

 nious machine of great simplicity has been long in 

 use at th« late Mr. Bakewelfs farm at Dishley. 

 It merely consists of lour posts A, B, C, D, fixed 

 finiily in the ground with strong side-rails, thius: — 



The animal being led in, is confined by four broad 

 straps going over the back and under the bell}'; 

 the two projecting benches are hollowed on the 

 top, lor laying on the fore legs one at a time; the 

 hind legs are severally held out, when wanted, b}- 

 a long wooden lever; and thus the shoes are ap- 

 plied without any possibility of injuring the beast. 

 It has, indeed, been suggested, (and we think the 

 plan might be easily carried into effect,) that if 

 calves, intended to be reared for work, were ac- 

 customed, while young, to have their feet taken 

 up, and their hoofs beaten with a hammer, and 

 this practice repeated during the winter, while the 

 steei-s are in the yards, they might afterwards be 

 shod in the same manner and with equal lacility as 

 horses.* 



Of grazing neat cattle. 



The feeding and fattening of cattle, whether 

 for labor or for sale, is the most important in the 

 whole economy of the grass farm: hence the far- 

 mer should previously consider the nature and 

 fertilitij of his pastures, and the extent and quali- 

 ty of his other resources; and, according to these, 

 he ought to regulate his system of grazing, soil- 

 ing, or stall-feeding. He should then select those 

 beasts only which evince the most thriving dispn- 

 sition to fatten with the least consumption of food, 

 and depasture them upon such lands as are best 

 calculated lc)r the respective breeds; especially 

 taking care not to bring cattle from rich to inferior 

 soils, but, wherever it is practicable, to choose 

 them from lands of nearly the same quality as 

 those destined for their reception: beside which 



* On the workiiio: and shoeing of cattle, see Chap. 

 VIII. No. 5 on "British Husbandrj%" in the Farmer^ 

 Series of the Library of Useful Knowledge. 



precautions, it is proper in all situations which are 

 not provided with wholesome water, to avoid se- 

 lecting cattle li-om those districts where it abounds 

 in a state of purit3% 



The introductory view of breeds prefixed to 

 this work, will probably supply some hints for 

 enabling the fiiriner to decide what sort of stock is 

 calculated for peculiar situations; in addition to 

 which we would observe, generally, from the 

 practice of the most eminent graziers, that the 

 larger beasts are preferable for the more luxuriant 

 pastures; while, in such as are less rich, small 

 stock answer best. Thus, a grazier who has fer- 

 tile meadow, or deep marsh, may select his beasts 

 as large as he can find them; but he who has only 

 indifferent grass, should take care to proportion 

 the size of his beasts to the goodness of their pas- 

 ture; for it is prefJjrable to have cattle rather too 

 small than too large for the quality of the land. 

 Hence we find, that in the rich grazing counties 

 of Durham and Lincoln, large breeds are chosen, 

 while in Norf(ilk and Suflblk, tiie kyloes and gallo- 

 ways are fattened preferably to any other breeds, 

 not alone on account of their superior kindness, 

 and the excellence of their flesh, but from the 

 stock being better suited to the lightness of the 

 soil. Next to these, in the esteem of salesmen, is 

 the dark red variety of the Devonshire sort, which 

 chiefly prevails in the counties of Leicester, Ox- 

 ford, Somerset, and Warwick; to these may be 

 added the Glamorgan, Hereford, and Suflblk pol- 

 led breeds of cattle, all of which are eminently 

 profitable in particular situations. But, in order to 

 carry on the grazing of cattle with eflect, it is ne- 

 ces.s"ary that the grazier form a complete plan, or 

 system, and proceed regularly therein, deviating 

 from it in those instances only which obviously 

 tend to improve his course, and ultimately to in- 

 crease liis profits. 



