NO. 13 



THE farmers' CABIXET. 



195 



gradually, but surely giving way. The 

 farmer who consults his own interest, should, 

 if he has not already done so, make a fair 

 aad judicious trial, in order to ascertain and 

 satisfy himself as to the advantages resulting 

 from the employment of the ox. If he start 

 right we have no fears of the result. Nothing 

 but an unjust prejudice has prevented the 

 general employment of oxen. 



Training of Steers. 



The following article on the manner of 

 keeping steers we commend to the attention 

 of farmers, as being- worthy their careful 

 consideration. We extract it from the Farm- 

 ers' Series of the Library of Useful Know- 

 ledge. 



The training of steers, for work, is very 

 rarely committed to any other than the 

 breeder ; the aniinal is found to be more do- 

 cile, and to thrive better in its own home 

 than in any other, and its sale, for the pur 

 pose of labour, is less an object of specula- 

 tion than that of the horse. The calves are 

 dropped in the ordinary season, and either 

 weaned immediately or allowed to suck, ac- 

 cording to the system of grazing pursued on 

 the farm, nor does it appear to materially 

 affect their future thrift or health; but for 

 weaning, they should fall about December, 

 and if kept warm in the pens until gradually 

 released from housing, they will be equally 

 forward with calves dropped in the early 

 part of spring which run with the cow; 

 though the March calf is reckoned the best. 

 They are fed about the orchard, or in a spare 

 paddock, until late in the spring or summer, 

 and then turned to grass until the approach 

 of November, when they are taken into the 

 yards and fed on such food as can be best 

 spared ; but it must be remarked, that on the 

 quality of this will greatly depend their 

 growth and condition, for although a half- 

 fed animal may grow large, he will assuredly 

 become gaunt and awkward, ill set in his 

 limbs, and defective in his shape ; he will 

 also come later to the yoke, and, conse- 

 quently, a portion of his labor will be lost. 

 Though hay may be only given in very mo- 

 derate quantity to yearlings, yet they should 

 have an allowance of meal and bran, with 

 plenty of roots as well as straw, and although 

 confined to the shelter of the yards and open 

 sheds at night, they should be allowed the 

 run of the pasture in day-time, whenever the 

 weather permits. They are then again turn- 

 ed out as soon as there is a bite of grass in 

 the spring, and the same course followed — 



with the exception of the meal — until rising 

 tiiree years old, when they may be gently 

 used, just to accustom them to the yoke or 

 collar, and are regularly put to work in the 

 spring of the following year. When broken 

 very young, they become more docile and 

 tractable than when kept to a greater age; 

 they arc also thought to apply their strength 

 with more effect to the draught, and, if pro- 

 perly taught, their common natural pace may 

 be certainly much improved. To accustom 

 them to a quick step, they should, however, 

 be at first driven with a very light weight, 

 and should not be heavily laden until they 

 have attained their full growth. 



The patience of the ox is proverbial, but, 

 though more quiet than the horse, he is yet 

 of various temper, less tractable, and some- 

 times very indocile; his strength too, though 

 of the same breed, is often very unequal, 

 and therefore considerable attention is requi- 

 site to match them. The training, though 

 generally considered an object of great diffi- 

 culty by those not accustomed to their use. 

 is, in truth, one of the very simplest nature. 

 The great point is to govern him by mild- 

 ness, and by gentle usage to accustom him 

 gradually to his work, without apparent com- 

 pulsion or severity; for, if irritated, an im- 

 pression may be made upon his temper Avhich 

 no after treatment will efface ; but with kind- 

 ness he is easily familiarized and rendered 

 docile. A young steer should be accustomed 

 from the earliest age to be driven about and 

 led ; he should be also occasionally handled 

 when about the yards, and when taken up 

 for the purpose of breaking, he should be 

 placed under the hands of a careful steady 

 man of particularly good temper, who should 

 commence by feeding and caressing him. In 

 this process also, a good deal of care and 

 management is requisite, for young stock 

 will not always eat of the food that is pre- 

 sented to them : in some cases, indeed, hardly 

 any thing but sheer hunger will induce them, 

 and if stinted, they will suffer in their health; 

 but if the steer cannot be coaxed by other 

 means, the better mode will be to turn him 

 for a few days among older stock already 

 accustomed to other food, from which he will 

 soon learn to consume it. He then should 

 be tied up in the ox-house, and used by de- 

 grees to either the yoke and bow, or to a bri- 

 dle and collar, until gradually accustomed 

 to the gear, when he should be harnessed to 

 a tame old ox, which is made to accompany 

 him gently, without forcing him to his work, 

 and if he offers resistance, he must be patted, 

 encouraged by the voice, and fed ; if very 

 obstinate, he should suffer hunger, and only 

 be fed after work : he will thus be taught to 

 obey his master, but it should rather be by 

 firmness than by violence. After patier:tly 



