CHAPTER IV. 



SUMMER AND WINTER FEEDING OF DAIRY CATTLE. 



Grazing at Large. Abundant Grass. Crops and Pasture. Condition of 

 Land. Wintering. An Important Point. Indoor Feeding. In. 

 fluence of Food on Milk. 



Grazing at Large. 



THE almost universal practice of feeding dairy cattle in England, 

 and, indeed, throughout the British Islands, save in the Island of 

 Jersey, and elsewhere to a slight extent, is to let them roam at 

 large, from May to October inclusive, on the permanent pasture 

 land of the farms. There is a good deal to be said in favour of 

 the practice, and it has borne the test of centuries. When the 

 cattle pick up their food from the soil on which it grows, 

 instead of having it brought to them in the shippons, they do 

 themselves the great bulk of the work which is necessary to 

 their existence throughout that period of the year. 



And, again, there can be no doubt that they are healthier and 

 happier out of doors than in the sheds, when the weather is fine 

 and flies are not troublesome. Indeed, it is seldom that they 

 suffer much from the heat of the sun in a British summer, and 

 we may take it for granted that the inconvenience of being con- 

 stantly tied by the neck, constantly under a roof, would be a 

 greater trial to them than the heat of the sun outside, during 

 the very few days in the year when, in the British Islands, its 

 rays are unpleasantly powerful. Moreover, in very hot weather, 

 whenever it may occur, it is a simple matter to put them in the 

 sheds for a siesta during a few hours in the middle of the day, 







