146 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



Mr. James Duncan, whose herd at Benmore has been already referred 

 to, gives us some further information. He says : 



My Highland cattle are kept by me simply for breeding purposes. I do not sepa- 

 rate the calves from the cows. Although I cannot tell how much milk my cows give, 

 yet the quality of it and of that from the Highland cattle in general is very fine. 

 Highland cattle are never under cover ; they are very hardy and will live where other 

 animals would starve. I have a considerable number on the hills in Scotland. The 

 grasses are native, and in winter the cattle eat heather furze and other bushes. The 

 master of Blantyre has succeeded in working Highland cattle ; and it is a well known 

 fact that they produce the finest beef. When in America in 1876 I advised some of 

 the western farmers to give them a trial, as in many districts they would do far better 

 than the Shorthorn ; for instance, on the Rocky Mountains and in some of the plains 

 they would do very well, but where there is an abundance of fine grass it would be 

 a mistake, in my opinion, to introduce them. I may mention that there is only one 

 question about the adaptability of Highland cattle for America, and that is the ex- 

 treme heat of summer. 



Sir John Swinburne, an eminent owner of this breed, says, in an- 

 swer to a communication from us : 



I do not breed the Highland cattle, but buy them at about twenty- four to thirty 

 months old, at Falkirk Trysts, which are held annually in September and October. 

 Their native homes are not cold, but constantly wet from rain and mist, and there is 

 not much snow. Their long hair enables them to remain out all winter, and they will 

 thrive, but do not grow fat, on very rough pastures, and bear whatever cold there is 

 remarkably well. The age at maturity of the West Highlander is about four years, 

 and the live weight of the cow at maturity is about 76 stone, and that of the bulls 

 about 97 stone. The proportion of meat at maturity of a fattened steer is about two- 

 thirds of its live weight. I have never hfeard of the West Highlander being used for 

 draft purposes. They are housed in open boxes and fed and handled in the same man- 

 ner as other cattle. 



The Earl of Seafield is one of the large breeders of this race, and we 

 consequently put a series of questions to his steward, who has kindly 

 given us the following particulars in reply : 



With regard to the annual average pounds of milk per cow, I find the quantity 

 to be 3,780 pounds. 



A cow which matures in four years is 11 cwt. in weight, and 6 feet in girth, whilst a 

 bull arrives at maturity in live years, weighs 14 cwt., and has a girth of 7 feet. Oxen 

 are five years old when at maturity, weigh 16 cwt. , and possess a girth of 7-J feet. The 

 soil on which the cattle are fed is light and gravelly, and the mean temperature of the 

 district in summer is 60, and in winter, 40. The grasses cultivatedby his lordship are 

 perennial rye-grass, alsyke, and red and white clovers. The Highland cattle are not 

 used for the purposes of draft. As to the housing of them, they, in winter, have open 

 courts and byres, and the feeding is principally permanent pasture, and in winter 

 straw and turnips. Breeding begins when the animals are from two to three. years old ; 

 and as to handling, they are generally housed in winter in our part of the country, but 

 in the West Highlands they seldom are housed, but in stormy weather they are fed on 

 meadow hay. 



Mr. E. B. Saunders, of Guisbro, Yorkshire, who resided among the 

 West Highland breed of cattle on the west coast of Scotland before 

 going to act as the agent of Sir Joseph Pease, M. P., says : 



This breed is managed under a variety of systems, some only keeping cows for breed- 

 ing purposes, others buying the young cattle and keeping them from one to two years 

 before selling them to the owners of parks and good pastures, when they are fattened. 

 This applies to both heifers and bullocks. In a few cases the heifers are crossed 

 with a Shorthorn bull, and after rearing a good calf, are fattened. The West High- 

 land being devoted to meat production, and rarely used for dairy purposes, it is, per 

 haps, impossible to obtain in the British Islands any reliable record giving the annual 

 average yield of rni^k per cow or the quantity required for the manufacture of a given 

 quantity of butter or cheese. The size of the animals varies according to the shelter 

 and food given when young. 



The cows mature at five years old, and weigh 50 stone, of 14 pounds each, deadweight. 

 Bulls are afc maturity at four years and oxen at the same period, the former weighing 

 70 stone, of 14 pounds, and the latter, 60, dead weight. The steers equal the Short- 

 horns in the proportion of meat on arriving at maturity. The nature of the soil in 

 the valleys is deep loamy, that on the higher grounds a thin covering of dry friable 



