5.' BEEFLINGS 



will vary considerably, probably according to the quality of the 

 calt\ but may be taken at 54 per cent. To produce each hundred- 

 weight of animal the following foods will be used : 



Concentrated Feeding Stuff 182 Ib. 



Hay 336 Ib. 



Good straw (partly as chaff) 112 Ib. 



Roots or Green Fodder crop 896 Ib. 



While the animal is still young, linseed cake, bran and oats 

 will be the staple concentrated food wanted. After the first 

 four months these may be gradually replaced by less refined 

 and more concentrated foods. Skill in making up the ration 

 must be assumed or the above results will not be obtained. 

 If the calf is well littered it is likely to eat a lot of its bedding, 

 when it will be found that the above-mentioned straw r may be 

 wholly or in part omitted from the food given. 



One particular objection has ahvays been raised against baby- 

 beef, namely the difficulty of providing fodder crops for the 

 young animals in the late spring and early summer months and 

 the cost of green-soiling, or cutting and carrying home the green 

 crops when grown. Now, these difficulties are exaggerated. 

 The management of any enterprise must be such as to allow 

 labour to be available for any profitable undertaking, and skilful 

 foresight can always supply the succulent vegetable food that 

 is a most desirable item in the dietary of young cattle being 

 forced out at an early age. But, as I know by experience, it is 

 perfectly easy to do with grazing instead of green-soiling, if 

 desired. Well-shaded paddocks are all that is necessary. I my- 

 self have always used grass-land under a permanent sward, but 

 there is no reason why young cattle should not graze any field 

 under a suitable seeding of rotation grasses. They must, how- 

 ever, be supplied with shade as a refuge from the flies and with 

 shelter against the extremes of heat and cold ; for the English 

 climate is apt to give us both between the beginning of May and 

 the end of September. After September the cattle under ten 

 month* old should be housed, but older ones may be finished 

 quite successfully on aftermath with cake. One must, however, 

 if one i* not specially favoured as regards soil and climate, be 

 prepared against a time of drought. This involves looking 



