STORE CATTLE 



been too heavily stocked in the summer or early autumn months. 

 On this grass he is given enough hay to ''keep him from going 

 back," which produces a slight increase in growth. Another 

 summer's pasturage is followed by a winter's keep similar to 

 the one last described, except that, being older, he is made to 

 depend more upon pickings off the land for his living; his supply 

 of hay is probably the same ; the increased size of his frame uses 

 up more food for its sustenance and allows of a smaller residue 

 for growth ; consequently, such a store-bullock will put on very 

 little weight during this, the third, winter of his life. Being now 

 what is described as a "Six tooth" he is turned into a field of 

 finishing pasture to wax and grow fat and to furnish, after some 

 5 months' grazing, a prime carcase of grass beef. 



Having briefly sketched the young bullock's imaginary career 

 from the calving-box to the block, we may tabulate its stages 

 to show more precisely how the produce of the land was used 

 and what return was made to the country. It will be noticed 

 that in this example no food other than grass and hay, either 

 through the mother's milk or the animal's own mouth, has been 

 consumed. This is a class of beast much valued by the grass- 

 beef maker, for he dislikes- those that have been pampered in 

 yards with cake, roots and other dainties. In the following 

 table the finishing process, which will be included in another 

 chapter, is omitted: 



Life-history of a store-bullock bred and reared on pasture. 



Result at 3 years from 5-85 acres of land: 9 cwt. i qr. i stone of beast. 



1 Includes keep of cow for 12 months after deducting the amount, 

 about 15 %, that one might expect to be used up in causing the growth 

 of her own frame if she were managed with skill. 



M. 



