CAT 



CAT 



value makes a considerable deduc- 

 tion from tliat of the Ibod given, es- 

 pecially of green food, such as clover, 

 luccrn, and every kind of leguminous 

 plant : we shall not be far wrong if 

 we set it at one fourtli. Tliis sup- 

 poses a suflicientquantity of straw for 

 litter, and an economical collection 

 of the liquid parts in proper reser- 

 voirs or tanks. In order to make the 

 feeding of cattle advantageous, the 

 buildings must be conveniently placed 

 with respect to the fields from which 

 the food is to be brought. Aloveable 

 sheds, with temporary yards, which 

 can be erected in different parts of a 

 large farm, according as different 

 fields are in grass or roots, are a great 

 saving of carriage, both in the bring- 

 ing of food to the cattle and carrying 

 the dung on the land. A clay bottom 

 should be selected, in a dry and rath- 

 er high spot, if possible. But if per- 

 manent buildings for cattle, con- 

 structed of rough materials and 

 thatched with straw, were erected 

 in the centre of about forty acres of 

 arable land, in different parts of a 

 large farm, it would probably be a 

 great saving in the end. 



Good water is most essential to 

 the health of cattle, and that which 

 has been some time exposed to the 

 air seems the best for them. When 

 they are fatted in stalls on dry food, 

 they should always have a trough of 

 water within reach. A piece of rock- 

 salt to lick, or some salt given with 

 their food, is highly conducive to 

 their health, and will restore their 

 appetite when it begins to flag. Rub- 

 bing the hide with a wisp of straw 

 or a strong brush, as is done to hor- 

 ses, may appear a useless labour, but 

 it is well known that there is no bet- 

 ter substitute for that exercise which 

 is essential to health. Where labour 

 is not regarded, as is always the case 

 when the owner of the cattle attends 

 upon them himself, the curry-comb 

 and the brush are in regular use, and 

 tlie advantage derived from the use 

 of them is undeniable. 



Where the farmer distils a spirit 

 from his grain, it is a great advan- 

 tage to have a distillery attached to 

 140 



his establishment, especially in a re- 

 mote situation ; and not oidy is the 

 fattening of cattle on the refuse of 

 the distillation a source of profit, but 

 the manure extends fertility around. 

 The produce in spirits and in cattle 

 is easily transported to a great dis- 

 tance, and almost the whole of what 

 is produced by the land returns to it 

 in the shape of manure. The same 

 may be said of the manufacture of 

 sugar from beet-root, which has been 

 lately so much extended in the north 

 of France. 



CATTLE, DISEASES OF. See 

 Ox. 



CATTLE, NATIVE. Much dis- 

 cussion exists as to the propriety of 

 importing cattle from abroad, or un- 

 dertaking an improvement of the na- 

 tive. The fine steers of New-Eng- 

 land are said to be descended from 

 the Devon stock, and retain many of 

 their traits, while they are improved 

 in milking qualities; but most of the 

 other native stock is small, and mfe- 

 rior to the choice English breeds. 

 But the size is probably due to the 

 carelessness with which they are 

 treated, and argues no inherent de- 

 fect, in proof of which it may be sta- 

 ted that the New-York butchers pre- 

 fer native animals for the shambles ; 

 and many instances may be quoted 

 of cows yielding as much milk as 

 even the Durham breed. The estab- 

 lished foreign breeds are already 

 brought up to a state of excellence, 

 while our cattle are unimproved, and 

 the occasional existence of fine ani- 

 mals is enough to guarantee high 

 perfection when they shall be regu- 

 larly bred. !See Breeding. 



Since, however, so many Durham 

 bulls have been introduced into New- 

 York, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, 

 it is very useful to obtain a cross 

 with the native cow to increase the 

 milking and fattening qualities, and 

 also to advance in the process of 

 improvement by using the best for- 

 eign blood ; at the same time, a per- 

 manent and extensively diffused 

 choice breed cannot be expected un- 

 til our own stock are looked to in 

 part at least : this is the proper way 



