- STORE CATTLE 21 



ment in exchange for an increased output of vegetable produce. 

 There is probably a correction to be made when the yield of 

 carcase percentage is considered and the result taken as meat 

 produced per acre. Most unfortunately there is no direct evi- 

 dence; for it would appear that no attempt has been made to 

 obtain authentic data on this point. But calves brought up on 

 the pail always seem to suffer from what their owners describe 

 as "losing their calf flesh." An inquiry which was carried out 

 lately by Dr Marshall and myself for the Cambridge School 

 of Agriculture on behalf of the Board of Agriculture clearly 

 shows the chaotic state of knowledge about such matters ; but 

 nevertheless it may, I think, be assumed with confidence that 

 the "hand-reared" stores would not yield as well as those 

 brought up in nature's way. If we surmise that the animal 

 starting as a "pail-fed" only yields 51 per cent, and compare 

 that with my assumption (in itself a deduction made from data 

 which are far too scanty to be reliable for anything more than 

 an estimate) we may make the following comparison : the store 

 from the continuous life on the hillside, aftermath pasturage 

 and other grass-land, has been estimated at 54 per cent, carcase 

 to yield 120 Ib. of meat and meat equivalent, such as hide, etc., 

 to the statutory acre. The beast whose career has last been 

 tabulated at 51 per cent, of carcase would give a total of 410 Ib. 

 meat, plus 100 Ib. equivalent, or 510 Ib. from 2-4 acres, that is 

 to say just over 200 Ib. per acre. 



Much the worst side of this animal husbandry, as practised 

 before the war, was the underpaid labour, or rather drudgery, 

 which the care of the young stock in the yards in winter involved. 

 A cowman, rearing the calves, got more, but the feeder of the 

 "buds" 1 and yearlings could not profitably be paid more than 

 sixteen shillings a week, for which he was expected to feed on 

 the Sunday morning and evening as well as work long hours 

 throughout the week. But even on such wages it is difficult to 

 show a profit for anybody concerned always excepting the 

 drover, the dealer, and the salesman. A 8 cwt. store of this class 



1 Calves from seven to 14 months are often so described. In cattle work 

 as in all departments of husbandry the teacher or writer is much handi- 

 capped by the absence of any exact nomenclature. 



