460 



FARMERS' REGISTER— OF THE SALE OF NEAT CATTLE. 



Every load of hay and litter, given to beasts fat- 

 tiiia: on oil-cake, yield at least ten tons o\' dung; 

 and, on comparing the dung obtained by feeding 

 with oil-cake with that of the common farm-yard, 

 it has been found, that the eftects produced by 

 spreading twelve loadc; of the ibrmer on an acre, 

 considerably exceeded those of iwentij-four loads 

 of the latter manure. It is, in fact, invariably 

 found that the value of the manure is in proportion 

 to the nutriment contained in the aliment. By 

 another trial it appears, that thirty-tix cows and 

 four horses, when tied up, ate fifty tons of hay, 

 and had tioeniy acres'* of straw lor litter; they 

 made two hundred loads of dung, in rotten order 

 ibr the land: — a difference in weight which is ac- 

 counted Ibr by the absorivaon of moisture by 

 straw. 



Of the sale of neat caiile. 



Having now stated the leading facts and exper- 

 iments that have been made on the subject of feed- 

 ing and lattening neat cattle, we shall conclude 

 the subject with a ih\w remarks on the scda of 

 beasts, when properiy fattened lor that purpose. In 

 order to ascertain this point, tlie following hints 

 mav, perhaps, aflbrd some criterion. First, when 

 the' general appearance of the animal shows high 

 condition, and each bone is covered with flesh in 

 the manner required to constitute a perfect shape, 

 it may be concluded that the beast is well fed; es- 

 pecially when his hip-bones, or, as they are sonne- 

 times termed, his huckle-bones, are round, his ribs 

 emooth and not sharp, his Hanks full, and cod round. 

 When these marks are perceptible, tlie beast may 

 be handled, and his lowermost ribs felt; if the skin 

 be kindly or mellow, that is, soft yet firm to the 

 touch, it is certain that he is well fi?d outwardly, 

 or in other words, upon the bones. Next, tlie 

 hand may be laid upon his huckle-bones, and if 

 they likewise feel soft, round, and plump, it may 

 be safely concluded that the animal is well fed, 

 both externally and internally; thai is, both in flesh 

 and tallow. He may then be handled at the set- 

 ting on of his tail, which, if it be thick, full, and 

 Eofl to the touch, is also an mdication that the 

 beast is well fed externally; the same circumstance 

 is likewise evinced by ^hanach-boncs, which lie on 

 either side of the setting on of his tail, feeling 

 mellow, or soft and loose. Lastly, the cod may 

 be examined, if an ox, or the navel of a cow, and 

 if they respectively feel thick, round, large, and 

 plump, it is a certain criterion that the beast is 

 well tallowed within; and, when any of these 

 parts or members handle contrary to the rules 

 above mentioned, a contrary judgement must be 

 formed. 



But, after all the attention and labor which the 

 grazier may bestow, his hopes are liable to be frus- 

 trated, in some measure at least, unless he select a 

 proper time for the disposing of his fat cattle. The 

 most common season for beef is from Michaelmas 

 to Christmas; but the markets are then more abun- 

 dantly and more cheaply supplied than at any 

 other period, because cattle which have been fiit- 

 tened on luxuriant pasture grounds, are then ready 

 for sale, and many farmers are under the necessity 



fThis is an inaccurate mode of stating the quantity; 

 but it may be assumed at about half the weight of the 

 hay, or twenty -five tons. 



of raising money to meet the demands of the close 

 of tlie year, ilence the attentive grazier, who 

 has suflicicnt capital to hold over his stock, will 

 find it most beneficial, at this time, to dispose only 

 of such part of it as, being then thoroughly iat, 

 consequently would not pay ibr any longer kecjjing; 

 and the increase of piices, in the spring, will gen- 

 erally be found to repay him. Beasts are clnelly 

 driven to London for sale; and, where the distance 

 from the metropolis is very considerable, they are 

 liable to many accidents on the road, bt sides their 

 diminution in point of weight, which, even under 

 the eye of the most attentive drivers, are ollen un- 

 avoidably incurred; while the fluctuation of the 

 markets renders his risk very considerable. It will, 

 therefore, be advisable, where it can be conve- 

 niently oradvantageouslye fleeted, to dispose of fat 

 stock in such markets as are in the vicinity ofj or at 

 an easy distance Irom the farm. 



In drawing off lols of cattle for sale, it is the 

 general practice to dispose of the fattest animals, 

 and to keep those which do not fatten kindly for 

 additional exertions. Such procedure may, indeed, 

 be admitted to a certain extent, if the food provided 

 be not expensive; but, if the beasts are reserved 

 for corn or cake-U^eding, or if the supply of other 

 food is precarious or limited, it is highly question- 

 able. As soon as a grazier is fully convinced that 

 he has a beast which is not kindly disposed to 

 take on fiit, or is an ill-doer, the first loss is ob- 

 viously the besf, and he should dispose of die unthrif- 

 ty animal the earliest o|)portunity. 



In the country, a common mode of selling cat- 

 tle for slaughter is by lots; and, in this case, to 

 prevent dispute between the partie?, care should 

 be taken to fix the precise time in which any par- 

 ticular lot is to be drawn, in order that no unne- 

 cessary food may be consumed. Formerly it was, 

 and even now, in some places, it is usual to sell 

 by the eye, a method Avhich is certainly unequal as 

 it respects both the farmer and the butcher; for 

 the former unless he has been accustomed to weigh 

 his beasts during the progressive stages of their 

 fattening, can form at best but an uncertain idea of 

 their weight; while the latter, fi'om his continual 

 practice, is enabled to form a tolerably accurate 

 estimate. Hence some have killed a beast out of 

 a particular lot, with a view to ascertain the ave- 

 rage weight of animals in such lot; but, in order 

 to inducea perfect equality betVi'een the buyer and 

 seller, it would be better to dispose of every beast 

 by weight, which can be easily ascertained by the 

 steel-yard, and this mode is now coming into 

 use. 



It is not, however, sufficient to ascertain the 

 weight of a Uving fatted beast, or bullock. Dif- 

 ferent parts of the same animal arc dii^lerent in 

 their value: and there is a rule for ascertaining the 

 proportion of these various parts, by which their 

 weight may be known with almost equal certainty 

 as the weight of the whole beast. It is, however, 

 necessary to premise, that the following propor- 

 tions are calculated chiefly for Scotch cattle; but, 

 as great numbers of these are fattened in Eng- 

 land, we trust the annexed hints will be found 

 useful. 



The four quarters constitute half the weight of 

 the bullock; the skin is the eighteenth part; the 

 tallow the twelfth part; making t^venty-three thir- 

 ty-sixlhs, or about two-thirds of the whole; the 

 remaining third part, or a little more, ii? composed 



