45S 



FARMERS' REGISTER— FEEDING NEAT CATTLE. 



Their food is wash, grains, and hay, sometimes 

 meadow, at others clover, and occasionally relie\'ed 

 by oat or barley straw, which is sometimes, though 

 *not regularly, cut into chaff: hay or straw is given 

 to them twice a day, in order that they may rumi- 

 nate, and as much grains ami wash as they can eat. 

 In general, they come readily to this kind of food, 

 though some are lour or five days before they lose 

 their aversion to it. 



The stock fattened at the distillery abov'c named, 

 consists of cattle of every sort and size. There 

 are many Scotch cattle, or kyloes, as well as those 

 reared in Northumberland, Wales, and Hereford- 

 shire, but none of the Sussex or Devonshire 

 breeds, which Messrs. H. and Co. say are too 

 dear ibr them. According to their quality, the 

 cattle are supposed to pay tvomfioe to twenty shil- 

 lings per \veek. 



Other trials have been made, with different re- 

 sults. Messrs. Smith and Harrington, of Brent- 

 Ibrd, fattened 810 oxen on the refuse of 25,750 

 quarters of barley: they were in tolerable condition 

 when taken in, and averaged about 110 stone. In 

 twenty weeks they acquired of Hesh at the rate of 

 about 35 stone each; from which, 5 stone is to be 

 deducted, as the value consumed, by tliem in hay; 

 leaving 30 stone as the produce of the distillery: 

 thus 810 beasts produced 24,300 stone of beef, or 

 about one stone for the grains li-om a quarter of 

 barley, whicli, assuming beef to be Vv'orth '^ur 

 ehillings the stone, of Bibs., is sixpence per bush- 

 el, or about double the usual price of grains. 



The same gentlemen, hov>'ever, have fatted 

 250 bullocks on the refuse wash of a sugar distille- 

 ry: they were kept four months, and increased in 

 value £8 each: hay was £-i to £4 10s. per load, 

 and they were allowed 30 to 40 fj[uarters of brew- 

 ers' grains daily; but the quantity of hay consumed 

 was so great, that money was lost by the experi- 

 ment, thougii the wash Avas on!}' valued at 20s. 

 each. 



With equal success has molasses, or treacle, 

 been employed; though the expense incurred by 

 the use of this article will probably prevent iis 

 general adoption in this countrj'. It has been used 

 in the West Indies, in combination with farina- 

 ceous substances, antl, when these could not be 

 procured, with cane-tops, oil-cake, and other arti- 

 cles of dry food, together with a little hny, or not 

 too green ibdder, and has been ibund greatl}^ to 

 expedite the fattening of cattle in general, and of 

 old and decayed oxen in particular, when given in 

 the proportion of half a pint to a pint of molasses,, 

 twice in the day, to animals which had been ex- 

 hav\sted by continual and severe labor tor a lono- 

 series of years. In adopting this article, a gallon 

 of oats, or other damaged grain, roughly ground, 

 or the same quantity of potatoes, should be boiled 

 in a sufficient proportion of water to form a thick 

 mash. It must be well stirred while on the fire, 

 to prevent it from burning, or slicking to the sides 

 of the vessel; and when it becomes cool the mix- 

 ture is to be formed into balls of about one pound 

 weight each. These balls are divided into two 

 equal portions, which, being previously immersed 

 in the treacle, are given to the beasts in the morn- 

 ing and evening: they will devour them with ea- 

 gerness, and will speedily thrive and fiitten by the 

 addition of a little hay, or any green fxldor that is 

 not too succulent. One or two spoonsful oi' salt 

 may also be dissolved in the composition, which 



will contribute to preserve the health of the ani- 

 mals; and, in case corn cannot be conveniently 

 procured and ground, pulverized oil-cake, diluted 

 in water, and seasoned with a small qua,ntity of 

 salt, with the same proportion of n)olasses, may 

 be advantageously substituted.* Molasses is also 

 conunonly given to cattle in the West Indies, in 

 their water, and is ibund to have an evident effect 

 on their condition: horses, in particular, are im- 

 proved much in their coat; and it is tliere a gene- 

 ral remark that, at crop-time, when the negroes 

 indulge largely in the use of cain-juice, they im- 

 prove in health and appearance, although their 

 labor is then more severe than at any other period 

 of the year. - 



In the preceding facts and statements we have 

 reif-rred chiefly to the feeding and lattening oi" 

 middle-aged and old cattle; young stock, however, 

 require particular attention, lest their grov.'th be 

 impeded, and therefore should be fed on the best 

 and most nutritive food the farm can supply. 

 Hence, during the v/inter, they should have hay, 

 turnips, carrots, potatoes, or other roots: or if straw 

 be substituted tor hay, the projjortion of roots 

 should be increased and given with attention. 

 In sumnier their food varies so little from that al- 

 ready specified, as to require no particular details 

 on this head. 



With regard to oxen used in draught, it should 

 be observed, that they ought to be well-fed, while 

 they are kept in constant employ, particularly in 

 the commencement of spring and in autumn, when 

 tlieir labor is most wanted. During those seasons, 

 they should be supplied with abundance of cut 

 hay and straw, with an allowance of a bushel or 

 two of steamed potatoes, turnips, cabbages, or 

 carrots, per day, in proportion to the work, and to 

 the quality of the fodder a,s well as of the roots; 

 and, if the labor be unusually severe a moderate 

 quantity of oats, with bran, or some bean, or pea- 

 meal, should be allov.'ed. In summer, the beasts 

 may be soiled with green food, and in the winter 

 sttdi-fed, in the manner and with the articles 

 above mentioned. Some farmers, indeed, endea- 

 vor to support working oxen on straw alone, and 

 the possibility of this is one great argument used 

 in favor of their emjiloyment; but it will be gener- 

 ally found to injure them in a greater proportion 

 than the saving in food. 



A most important object in the feeding or fatten- 

 ing of cattle is, that such arrangements should be 

 made, and such a supply of food be provided for 

 wiiitcr consumption, that the grazier may be ena- 

 bled to keep them throughout that trying season, 

 and sell them when meat fetches the highest 

 prices, viz. from the beginning of February to the 

 close of May. By this'procedure, he will not only 

 obtain more for the sale of them than the autum- 

 nal markets would produce, but his stock will go 

 off freely, and every market be in his favor. He 

 will further obtain the largest possible command 

 of manure, and consequently be enabled to con- 

 duct his business to tlic must profit. 



The relative proportion of Juod consumed by fat- 

 ting beasts necessarily varies, according to the size 

 of the animals, and the nutriment afibrded by tlie 

 resijcctive vegetables. It has, however, been 



*For a spries of experiments on sugar, as food for 

 sheep, see Book iV. Clia}). Yl. 



